


Chasing Away the Nightmares

by Lisdangerous87



Category: Blink-182
Genre: M/M, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-14
Updated: 2014-07-14
Packaged: 2018-02-08 18:37:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 133,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1951869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lisdangerous87/pseuds/Lisdangerous87
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tom has trouble sleeping sometimes and Mark helps him out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Mark? Are you sleeping?" Tom bit his lip as he peeked into Mark's bunk on the tour bus.

Tom squinted in the darkness. His brown eyes took in the crumpled sheets and pillow. Tom lifted up the dark blue striped sheet.

"Mark? Where are you?" Tom found Mark's stuffed pig, whom Mark gave the ever original name, "Piggy". Tom grabbed Piggy and bit his lip again, moving his silver lip ring from right to left.

Tom closed the burgandy curtain and sighed, hugging Piggy tightly. Tom heard the bunk above Mark's rustle. Travis's newly shaved head poked out.

"Tom, what are you doing up? We've got like nine hours before we get to Tampa. You're supposed to be sleeping like a normal human being."

Tom kicked his right foot gently against the bottom of the bunks. He sucked his whole lip ring into his mouth. "I was looking for Mark."

Tom hugged Piggy harder. Tom then realized that he was holding Mark's 'lovie' and hid it behind his back. Travis lay back down and turned his body to face Tom. He reached up to pull back the curtain to envelope him in the humming of the bus. Before he did so, he spoke softly to Tom, knowing something was bothering his younger friend.

"Check up front yet? Mark likes to write when he wakes up on the road." Travis smiled at Tom before sneaking in a "Nice pig." The heavy curtain closed before Travis saw the pink flush creep up on Tom's cheeks.

Tom frowned and stumbled up to the front of the tour bus. The bus shifted unexpectantly on the road and Tom was thrown off balance into the bathroom door.

"Owwww! Motherfucker. Stupid fucking doorknob." Tom bent down to pick up Piggy, who was lost during the shuffle. The accordion door noisily opened and light flooded the bunk area.

Tom yelped and clutched Piggy, as if the much loved pig would do anything to protect Tom from the tall shadowy figure that had startled him.

"Tom? Why are you holding my Piggy? And what're you doing out of your bunk and cursing at inanimate objects?"

Tom flushed face reappeared as he clutched his chest, struggling to regain his breath. He squinted at the shadow and saw it was Mark. He took in Mark's starry night pajama pants and his white Element hoodie.

"I was looking for you. I found Piggy instead. Why aren't you sleeping?"

Mark moved out of the doorway and moved back to the couch that had his red leatherbound notebook on it. He bent his right leg and tucked it under his body. "Had some lines running through my head. Didn't want them to disappear."

Tom sat on the edge of the plush couch near Mark's right knee. He bit his lip ring again and hesitated before placing Piggy from his side into his lap. Tom ran his thumbs over Piggy's soft front hooves.

Mark finished his line before placing his alien pencil, a gift from Tom, into the binding of the notebook and sliding it onto the floor. Tom watched Mark's actions out of the corner of his eye. He continued to bite his lip ring, wincing when he pulled too hard on it.

Mark leaned back, rubbed his tired blue eyes and held out his right arm. "C'mere Tom. What's going on in that little noggin of yours?"

Tom took a deep breath, leaning back and turning into Mark's warm body. He pulled his knees up and placed Piggy under his right arm. Tom rested his head in the crook of Mark's arm.

"I had a nightmare."

Mark frowned at Tom's small voice. "Another nightmare? About the same thing as last night's?" Mark let concern seep into his voice as he responded to Tom's admission.

Tom leaned his head to his right and snuggled Piggy's snout. He peered up at Mark and gave a small nod. Mark sighed and brought his left hand up to brush Tom's hair off his forehead.

"Tom, you know it's not real, right? There's no chance in hell Trav and I would let that happen to you." Mark ran his fingers through Tom's damp hair. He continued, "You're not going to be left behind at some scarey place. We won't abandon you."

Tom swallowed the lump in his throat. He blinked a few times and cleared his throat before he spoke. "Mark it's still a fear for me. I don't know how to calm myself down after I wake from these dreams. I haven't been able to sleep all through the night for like, eight or nine days."

Mark looked surprised as he bent his head forward to touch Tom's temple, pulling the younger boy tightly against his side. "Eight or nine days? Tom, how come I only found out about these nightmares of yours a couple days ago? You should have told me sooner!"

"I wasn't planning on telling you at all. You're the one that woke me up cause I was thrashing about like some retard. That was embarrassing." Tom leaned into Piggy's snout again, closing his eyes as he recalled two nights prior.

-/- "Tom?! Tom what--" Mark yanked back his bunk curtain and hopped out his bunk to pull back the curtain of his best friend. Tom was flailing around in the small bunk, his body twisted in his orange and blue chevron sheets.

Tom's white undershirt was pushed up revealing his damp stomach, sweat drenching his shirt and turning it slightly translucent.

Mark tried to grab Tom's wrists, narrowly missing getting clocked in the face by his terrified friend. "Hey! Tom, buddy, stop! Wake up man, Tommy!" Mark tried shaking Tom's shoulders.

Tom's head was covered in a layer of sweat, his hair stuck to his forehead and eyebrows knit together and mouth open, breathing hard. His face rocked back and forth, desperate cries leaving his lips. Despite all the moisture on his face, Tom's lips were cracked.

Mark tried shaking Tom again, this time half climbing on top of the younger boy to stop his arms from pelting his own body. Mark grabbed ahold of Tom's face and held tightly while saying his name again.

This time, Tom's eyes opened quickly and wide. He blinked looking around his bunk. Mark pressed the little circular light above their heads and let the little light shine upon Tom's frightened face.

Mark looked at Tom's face again, looking at him as if there was some physical thing that was hurting his friend. Mark untangled Tom's arms and looked into his brown eyes. His friend looked lost, fearful and guarded. Tom glanced around his bunk like it was his first time in it. Mark ran his right thumb over Tom's chapped lips.

"You okay, buddy?" Mark hadnt meant to get the reaction he did from those three words. Tom's eyes got glossy and water started to well up. Tom closed his eyes and tried to take a deep breath to calm himself. He took another breath and scrunched his eyes tighter trying to prevent the tears from escaping.

"M-m-ma-mark..." Was all Tom could get out before he reached up and grabbed onto Mark.

Mark held tightly onto his friend and lifted him up as best he could in the cramped bunk. He rubbed Tom's back in small circles, whispering hushes in Tom's ear as Tom let every heart wrenching sob out.

When Tom calmed down, Mark laid Tom back down, pulled the soaked sheets up to his friend's chin and wiped the dark hair off Tom's forehead. Mark leaned down and gave Tom a gentle kiss on the bridge of his nose.

"I had a bad dream." Tom's small voice was just barely heard over the hum of the road beneath the tour bus tires. Mark chuckled, "Yeah, I figured that part out. What about?"

Tom proceeded to tell Mark about his fear of being left behind, forgotten at some nameless venue. He gave such vivid details about him running around, checking room after room finding no people. There was always people around on tour, the confusion he felt. Tom would scream while running out to the parking lot, finding nothing but tumbleweeds.

Mark frowned and leaned down again to place another friendly kiss on Tom's now drying, but still salty forehead. "It's not real Tom, don't worry. We won't leave you. It's impossible. You're too loud to forget you somewhere," Mark paused to look out of Tom's bunk and into his own. Tom had a panicked look wash over his face. He thumbed this pajama pants, a nervous habit he picked up as a child.

Mark bit the inside of his cheek and spoke gently to Tom, as if not to frighten him. "You want Piggy? Piggy always helps me feel better when I'm worried or sad."

Tom closed his eyes, relaxing the slightest bit, nodding yes to Mark. Tom kept his eyes closed and felt Mark leave his bunk, rustle in his own bunk and return to Tom.

Tom cracked his eyes open again when he got a whiff of a sweet smell. "Piggy smells like you." Mark took this as a bad smell, pulling Piggy back to himself and saying defensively, "You don't have to take him then, you know. I'll be glad to keep him."

Tom struggled to get his arms out of the covers quick enough to grab Piggy. "No!" He gasped, "I want him."

Mark smiled and laughed to himself. Then he turned off the circular clicky light above Tom. "Move over, Tommy. I'll stay with you until you fall asleep."

Tom shifted over up against the wall, feeling the cool, dry sheets comfort him. He apologized to Mark, "Sorry the sheets are all sweaty. They prolly smell rank, too."

Mark just settled down in the covers and turned to face Tom. He propped his left hand up under his chin and ran his right hand over Tom's stomach in small circles. "Shhh, I've slept in worse. Rest your body. Go to sleep. I'm right here."

Tom sighed contently and hugged Piggy, breathing in the reassuring Mark scent. His eyes fluttered close. -/-

Mark laughed as he rubbed Tom's head again. "Tom, you've always had issues, nightmares are the least of your worries with me. Remember the first time you tried the 'Death Burrito' at that Mexican place in Ohio? You didn't think a place so far from Mexico could be spicy. You spent like the entire trip to New Jersey on the shitter, puking and shitting your brains out, crying how you'd never doubt Colombus Mexicans again!"

Tom chuckled and turned red again at the memory. "Yeah, that wasn't the best memory I have. I ran out of toilet paper and made you go get more! And I don't like throwing up and being sick. Makes me feel helpless."

Tom shifted against Mark, tracing the star prints on his pajama pants. The bus started to slow down, Mark and Tom peered up front. They were pulling up to a rest stop.

Mark gave Tom a quick kiss on the temple and stood up stretching saying he was going to find out where they were.

Tom watched Mark walk up with his hands on the ceiling of the bus, making sure to not fall as the bus engaged its brakes. Tom looked back down at Piggy. He pursed his lips and spoke to the pig, "How am I going to stop all this nonsense with my dreams? I can't grab you everytime I need you. And Mark's going to get sick of it soon too.

Tom stretched his legs out in front of his as he pranced Piggy along his lap and onto the couch. When he brought his legs down, his left foot landed on a different surface than his right, resulting in a soft thud.

Tom hopped Piggy over to the edge of the couch and peered over with Piggy. He looked down at Mark's notebook. The red leather was soft looking. He reached out to run his fingers over the binding. He wasn't supposed to touch Mark's notebook, or Travis's. It was a rule between the three that each had their own private notebook for lyrics or riffs and would show it to the others when they were ready. Travis had a black leather notebook while Tom's was a burnt orange.

Mark came bouncing back through the lounge area startling Tom. Tom pulled his hand back to Piggy before Mark announced they had stopped to fuel up and switch drivers in a little town called Pelham, Alabama. Mark asked Tom if he wanted to run into the little store with him to get some snacks.

Tom agreed, he walked back to the bunk area to put Piggy back in Mark's bunk. He hesitated and thought about it again before deciding his own bunk was a much better place for Piggy. Piggy liked orange better than blue.

Tom quickly changed into Dickies and slipped on a pair of black Vans before walking back front pulling one of Mark's extra Billabong hoodies on. Mark was outside the bus talking with Walt, their first shift bus driver.

Tom silently walked over to Mark and nudged him with his shoulder. "Ready when you're done changing." Mark was still in his pajama pants and Element hoodie. "I could if you stopped stealing all my shit!" He pulled at the sleeve of his own hoodie on Tom.

Mark continued, "Either way, I'm ready. It's late, no ones here but us. I'm not changing for the security cameras!" Mark strut across the pavement and held open the store door. "Come on Hott Pants, I'll buy you an Icee."

Tom rolled his eyes but walked on into the convience store ahead of Mark.


	2. Chapter 2

Tom walked through the aisles of the convenience store. He shuffled over to the bags of hanging candy looking for something that he could munch on.

He twitched when something thudded against the back of his head and landed with a plastic crinkle in the hood of his sweatshirt. Tom reached up and around and rummaged until he came upon a soft dessert package.

He looked down at the Twinkie, squinted one brown eye half shut and look around. Why were Twinkies fl-- another Twinkie package hit him square in the nose.

"What the fuck!?" Tom glanced around, hearing a giggling coming from behind him. Tom whirled around to face the happy suppressed sound and stretched his neck to peer over the top candy shelf.

Mark was bent over, covering his mouth with one hand and slapping his knee quietly with the other. He continued to giggle as he started to stand up and made contact with Tom's brown eyes.

Mark immediately tried to wipe the smile off his face and stuttered, "Uhhh... Hey there old buddy, old pal!"

Tom glared down at the blue eyes and raised his arm to pelt his friend with the spongy treat. Something caught his eye to the right of him. He quickly glanced over to see an elderly man frowning. The older man continued to frown and shook his head while slowly walking up to Tom, relying upon a cherry wooden cane to aid him.

"Hooligan! How dare you come into my store, my life, and treat the things I worked so hard to earn with disrespect! Out! Get out!" Tom's mouth opened and shut a few times before he could process what the man was saying.

The older man started to get angry, he was a respected man in his store. He raised his cane and swung at Tom's knee caps.

The whack and searing pain that came across Tom's knees was enough to wake him from his stupor. "I...I'm sorry, sir. I wasn't going to do anything, just threatening my friend..."

The older man repeated his request and shooed Tom out of the store. Mark's laughter got the best of him and the he had a difficult time keeping it together.

As Mark calmed down, he began to feel a little guilty about getting Tom booted from the store. He watched the elderly man make his way back up to the register, waiting until the swinging wooden door stopped squeaking. He walked over to where Tom had dropped the two semi-smashed Twinkies and picked them up.

Mark slowly backed up a little to look at the pegboard filled with brightly colored bags. He wiggled his fingers running them over the candy choices as he searched for the right one. He gave a quiet, "Yesssss!" when he found the red bag with rainbow bite-sized goodness.

Mark also grabbed two Icee cups and overfilled them, mixing the two favors to create a purple mess. He balanced the candy and Twinkies under one arm and licked the melting purple goo off his hands.

Placing everything on the counter in front of the old man, he wiped the backs of his hands on his pajama pants and reached into his hoodie pocket.

"Fuck! Where the hell is that stupid fucker." Mark reached into his pajama pants and came up empty handed again. He pursed his lips and looked out the tiny window covered in advertisements, peering beyond it to the tour bus.

He looked back to the older man and spoke while backing up, "Um, just hang on one sec-I must have left my wallet in my other hoodie. I'll be right back!" Mark turned and jogged over to the band's bus.

He climbed the stairs two at a time and gave a quick wave to Jeff, the second shift driver. "Hang on just a few Jeff, I just got to pay for my shit at the store."

Mark walked further into the bus, stepping over his notebook and opening the accordion door. Mark pulled his curtain open and rummaged around his bunk.

He mumbled to himself, "Okay, hurry hurry. Where the fuck did I put that thing." Mark paused, rethought about what he was searching for and widened his eyes when he realized where the Billabong hoodie had disappeared to.

Mark spun around and opened Tom's curtain. Mark had caught Tom off guard and watched as the startled boy frantically wiped at his face.

Mark bit the inside of his cheek and spoke quietly to Tom. "Hey, what's wrong?" Tom rolled away from Mark and sniffled.

"Nothing. It's nothing. I'm okay." Tom whispered back and snuggled with Piggy. Mark rolled his eyes at his younger friend's back. He reached around Tom and slipped his fingers into the front pocket of his own hoodie.

The brown eyed boy froze as he felt the older man's fingers run over his hip. He held his breath waiting for Mark to explain why he was, in his eyes at least, caressing his stomach. Tom felt Mark clasp something lumpy he hadn't noticed before.

Mark pulled away, mumbling that he'd be right back. As Mark walked back out to the front of the bus to exit, He began to talk to himself. "What the hell has gotten into Tom lately? All he seems to freakin' do is cry at the drop of a hat."

Mark quickly jogged up to the old man's register, dramatizing his physical exertion to bring the man the $11.35 Mark owed. He wiped his brow and chuckled to himself as he watched the older man glare at Mark.

The older man followed the blue eyed man as he walked out the door and nodded as the 'kid' politely thanked him for waiting. The man huffed, "Hooligans. All of them. Damn hippie Hooligans."

Mark returned to the bus juggling the snacks and drinks with ease. He placed everything on the small dinette table. Jeff got the okay from Mark to continue on their road trip.The bus rumbled to life.

Opening up one of the semi-flattened Twinkies, Mark shuffled back to Tom. Mark shoved half the Twinkie in his mouth before speaking to Tom in a garbled manner, "Hey Buddy, want one?"

Mark tried to smile at the younger man. Tom was twisting his fingers around the drawstrings. The tips of his pointers were turning a bruised purple color. Tom appeared to be holding his breath, chest expanded, eyes crushed together.

Mark swallowed the sweet treat and tossed the other one and a half pieces onto his bunk. He leaned into Tom's bunk and took each hand into his own. He sighed as he began to unravel Tom's fingers. Mark frowned and kissed the ghostly marked skin where the drawstring had left an impression on the finger. First Tom's right, then left one. He rubbed the digits slowly and watched as the fingers turned from purple, to red and back to a slightly inflamed pink.

"Tom, open your eyes." Mark watched as Tom continued his excellent impression of a comatose patient. Mark began to get impatient. "Tom, open your fucking eyes or I walk away and you deal with whatever shit you've got going on by yourself. You want that?"

Mark knew what the answer would be. He cocked his head knowingly as he watched Tom open his eyes, beginning to breathe normally again. Tom brought a frown across his anxious face.

"Do you want to talk yet? Or are you still gonna be a dickwad and not share." Mark nudged Tom and used his body to move the stressed boy over. He lay down next to Tom and grabbed Tom's right hand with his left.

"I brought you your favorite candy and flavor Icee... Let's go up front and eat." Mark pulled the chevron sheets off Tom and yanked on his hand.

Reluctantly, Tom followed. Lead to the front as if he was a small child, Mark pulled the boy and let go as they reached the dinette. Mark grabbed two plastic bowls from the cabinet across from Tom and placed them on the cream colored laminate table.

Tom gently sat on the cushioned seat and switched the bowls so Mark had the navy bowl and he had his favorite tangerine bowl. "Better." Tom mumbled.

Tom poured a handful of rainbow candies and sifted through looking for the orange ones with a printed 'S' on them. Mark chuckled as he poured some Skittles into his own bowl. Tom held out his left hand, resting it on the table as he continued to nibble at the fruit inspired candies. Mark shook his head smiling, as he sifted through his candies and pulled out the orange ones for Tom.

Mark watched Tom through his lashes. Tom lifted one Skittle at a time, placing the small candy between his lips. With a small wind sucking sound, he pulled the orange candy into his mouth. His lip ring wiggled slightly as he rolled his tongue around, making the hard candy shell dissolve.

Tom continued to eat, occasionally slurping at his melting Icee. Mark picked at the candy in his bowl, bopping his head along to a song only he could hear. When Tom polished off his cold drink and had his fill of Skittles, he looked at Mark. He squinted both eyes, watching as Mark finished his Icee and continued to bop his head around, rolling his eyes until they caught Tom's. He paused, red Skittle half way to his mouth. He raised his eyebrows at Tom, giving him a questioning look.

Tom sighed. He bit his lip and started to twist the drawstrings on Mark's hoodie. Mark shook his head, silently telling him to stop. Mark popped the candy in his mouth and said, "You're gonna fuck up your fingers again."

Tom moved his hands down to his Dickies, then back up again to the tabletop. He reached his right hand up into his hair, taking a small section of the brown lockes and began to twirl it around his fingers. He rested his elbow on the table and bit his lip ring. Tom frowned, and looked at his friend.

Mark rolled his eyes, and took a deep breath in. "Okay Tom. I gave you candy, I let you keep Piggy for quite a while, made you your favorite kind of Icee, I let you have a few moments to get your head together. I even held you while you were scared. Now, I don't even do this much for a fucking girlfriend. What the hell is up with you? You're not being yourself. You're acting like a chick who's on her period."

Tom defended himself, "I'm not acting like a fucking chick..." He began but stopped. A thoughtful look washed across his face. "I...I didn't mean to act like a girl. I just, I...was embarrassed about what happened in the store and it's all just a little much for me to take in right now. I feel all confused and fucked up from these stupid nightmares. I'm not thinking straight."

Mark smiled at Tom. He jokingly said, "Now apologize to me and get to your bunk, it's past your bedtime, mister." Tom smiled slightly. However, while he was facing Mark his eyes were glancing around avoidingly. "Seriously though, Tom, it's like two a.m. You need sleep and so do I. I'm gonna be in such a pissy mood if I don't get enough Zzz's."

Tom stayed still. Mark stood up, threw away their trash and placed their bowls in the cabin sink. He rolled the Skittles wrapper up and left it on the table.

Tom observed Mark shuffle to the bunk area. Tom leaned into the aisle and twisted his body to follow Mark with his eyes. Mark poked his head into his bunk. He reached for something and stood back up, pillow in hand.

Tom watched with questioning eyes what Mark was going to do. Tom slowly smiled as Mark turned and leaned into Tom's own bunk, rearranging the pillows and climbed in. Tom finally raised himself off the cushioned seat and moved towards the rear. Mark popped his head out and looked to the front. "Oh good, your still alive. Are you coming to bed or not?" Tom nodded, pointing to the bathroom door and held up one long finger to motion 'one minute'.

Tom stepped into the bathroom silently and returned a minute later to continue to the bunks. Tom put the tip of one shoe against the heel of the other. He pried his Vans off, pushing them to the side, and unbuttoned his shorts and let them fall to the ground.

Tom shifted the bottom of the opened bunk curtain to locate his pajama pants. He spied a small piece of the penguin printed flannel and pulled them out to put on. He removed Mark's hoodie and threw it onto Mark's bunk and climbed over Marks warm body. Tom lifted his sheets and shimmied down to cover his body while Mark twisted and pulled the burgundy fabric closed.

Tom settled down, pulling Piggy out from behind his black t-shirt. Mark turned back around and took Piggy from Tom explaining, "We share." as he placed Piggy in between the two bodies in the cramped bunk.

Tom visibly relaxes as Mark runs his right hand through Tom's hair. Mark hums a song he learned as a child, 'A Little Wheel A Turnin'.

Tom's eyelashes open and shut rapidly, finally slowing and stay closed. His fingers are wrapped around Piggy's front left hoof.


	3. Chapter 3

Mark pulled the sheets up to his chin. Sighing deeply he felt around for his small pink stuffed toy. He searched above his head, rotating his arm down, and ran into a wall. A wall?

Opening one blue eye to double check, yes, that definitely was a wall. He rolled over and looked at the back side of the curtain on his left.

Curtain to his left? Wall to his right? Everything was flip flopped in Mark's bunk and where the fuck was Piggy. "This is some kind of sick joke," he mumbled, rolling over again.

Mark was completely disoriented. Blinking a few times purposefully and rubbing his eyes with clenched fists, he sighed. When he began to see stars behind his eyelids he stopped rubbing and looked down to his toes. Blue and orange covered his toes.

Blue? Orange? Tom's got blue and orange sheets. Slowly, Mark began to recall last night's 'adventure' into the convenience store, eating Skittles and sharing Piggy with Tom.

Tumbling out of Tom's bunk, Mark looked around. Taking a step forward, he felt a canvas material catch on his big toe. Peering down, he saw Tom's shorts laying in the middle of the walkway. Mark shook his head as he crouched to pick up the younger boy's Dickies.

Tom had a bad habit of leaving his shit everywhere. Mark made a mental note to talk to him about that. Tom, Travis and Mark were just starting out on tour. They needed to make sure they were starting out on the right foot.

That right foot was not Mark's foot though. Tossing the boy's shorts onto his bunk, he began his search of his Piggy.

Piggy had been a $1.00 prize Mark had gotten out of a claw crane game years ago at an arcade the boys had stumbled upon as teens. Mark had given it to Tom saying it reminded him of the younger boy's mom.

Tom had laughed so hard that day. Mark had ended up deciding to keep it for himself, saying he always wanted to know what it was like to sleep with Tom DeLonge's mom. His mind wandered back to that random Saturday.

-/- He didn't even see the younger man's fist coming at his jaw. He did however feel his teeth crack together and see young Tom fall to the floor of the arcade, tears slipping out as the pain overwhelmed the 15 year old. Seeing Tom clutching his hand, pulling it in to his body, bottom lip shaking. Mark rubbed his jaw, stuck the pig in his napsack and flung it over his shoulder.

Mark had ended up driving Tom to his home and helping him into Mark's house. While Mark was icing Tom's hand, he decided he was going to name the pig, "Piggy" because calling it "Connie" would be a little awkward. -/-

Mark stopped to use the bathroom, then continued up to the front of the bus. Travis was sitting across from Tom at the dinette, Travis's black leather notebook between them. Tom yawned and looked up as he saw Mark slowly make his way into the front lounge.

Mark moved to the cushioned seat Tom was seated at stated with a yawn, "Scoot." Tom complied and moved closer to the window. He watched the scenery roll on by for a moment, then returned his gaze to the notebook.

Tom's tongue moved back and forth over his lip ring, nodding along to Mark's comments. Travis smiled and closed his notebook, saying he was going to see how much longer till they arrived at the venue in Tampa.

Tom's fingers slid down to his pajama pants, thumbs twisting the fabric in circles and breath hitching. Mark watched and waited to see how Tom would fare on his own.

Travis sauntered back through the lounge area, telling both men they would be arriving in about 10 minutes. He continued to make his way to the bunks to get his bag ready.

Mark's eyes fell back on the anxious boy. He studied his actions. Tom was staring at a spot on the table, not blinking once. His breathing had become rapid and irregular. Mark watched as Tom's skin began to sparkle, his perspiration reflecting in the sunlight. The upset boy began to tremble .

Having seen enough of his friend panic, Mark whispered leaning in, "Tom, I'm here. You'll be alright. You've played at hundreds of venues. We've never lost you yet! Don't get yourself all worked up. I'll be by your side the entire time if you need it."

Mark slid his right arm around Tom and pulled the shaking boy into him. Mark heard Travis's footsteps approaching the front of the bus. He quickly pressed a kiss to the boy's temple and unwrapped his arm.

Travis passed by Mark as he stood from the table. Travis had headphones on and bopped along to his iPod. Travis glanced up at Mark, watching as he waited for Tom to stand with his arm hanging in the air. Tom leaned against Mark, putting weight on him. Mark staggered slightly as the taller boy slouched.

Mark turned his head and looked back at Travis. Travis pulled out one earbud and raised his eyebrows. "Tom's not feeling well, I'm gonna help him get his shit together. I don't want him to pass out." Travis's eyes squinted slightly, knowing there was more to the story, but Tom and Mark always had their own thing going on. The two were inseparable.

Travis nodded and said, "Okay man. Let me know if you need help with him." Mark half carried Tom to the bunks, pausing to turn to Travis again.

"I may just have to take you up on that offer dude, he's pretty fucked up." Mark took a deep breath in and turned back to Tom who was looking less stressed, but still a little lost.

Mark closed the accordian door. Tom was slumped against the built-in drawers next to Mark's bunk. Mark placed a hand on Tom's lowered head, rubbing the back of his skull and bringing his hand down to rub Tom's damp neck.

"Come on, bud. Snap out of it. The whole crew is with us. I will not leave your freaking side if you don't want me to. Tommy," Mark paused and spoke quieter, even though no one could hear him, continued, "there's going to be cameras...don't let them see you like this. Thomas. Man up."

Tom nodded slowly. Standing up he moved to his drawer to pull out his bag. He threw a pair of khaki pants, a few magazines, his UFO book and iPod with earbuds twisted and knotted into it. He reached around Mark, grabbing the white Billabong hoodie and pulled it on, leaving the hood over his damp hair. He went back into his drawer to get his cell and wallet, then closed it. Swallowing and looking at Mark he asked, "Any chance I can take Piggy with us?"

Mark chuckled and nodded. "Where is Piggy anyways. I was looking for him when I woke up. You remember it was supposed to be your mom? Ha, pretty fucked up she became a he!"

Tom gave a crooked smile, and opened his drawer for a third time. He pulled Piggy out and stuffed him in the bag as well. "I hid him. I didn't want you to take him somewhere I couldn't find him."

"You know Piggy is mine, right? I just want to remind you of that." Tom wrinkled his nose at Mark's comment.

Mark rolled his eyes and packed his bag, including his own notebook and handing Tom his to add to his bag. Tom pulled the drawstring closed on his bag as Mark zipped up his.

"Ready spaghetti?" Mark asked and held out his hand. Tom took it and followed.

The bus began to shake and slow down, pulling into the parking lot. Turning his head to speak, Mark said, "Remember, I'm here." They broke contact when they walked closer to Travis.

Travis stood up and lined up behind Tom, placing both hands on his shoulders. "I'm right behind ya, bro." He said to the hooded boy.

Mark pulled his sunglasses out of his bag and put them on as the doors opened and the sun shone in. Putting on a smile for the cameras, and walking down the stairs, he shouted "Alright bitches! Let's rock and roll!"

Tom with his hood up and own shades in place, followed closely behind the smiling man with his head down. Travis followed as well, making sure to smile and answer questions as microphones were shoved in their faces by the crowds.

Travis heard one reporter shout out with hatred in his voice, "What's wrong Tom DeLonge, too good to talk to your fans anymore? Sellout much?"

Travis could tell by the way Tom's posture changed that he heard the cruel man. Travis lifted his longest finger at the short man and cursed, "Fuck off, man. Suck my cock."

The three band members made their way past security and into the venue. A girl named Meghan introduced herself and showed the boys the route to their dressing room. Mark observed her pointing to various rooms and tables on the way.

"...so if you guys need anything at all, please, don't hesitate to ask. If I can't get it or help personally in some way, I'll find someone that can." She smiled at each of the men before her and lowered her eyes staring at Tom's pants.

He was still wearing the penguins. Mark laughed and explained, "We uh, had a rough night partying on the bus. Careful not to inhale Tom's breath, you may die of alcohol poisoning."

Meghan laughed and left the boys in the dressing room. Mark knew that Steve would be in soon to go over details of the days schedule. Raising his left arm, Mark checked the time. 9:40 a.m.

Mark set his bag down and took Tom's as well. He pulled Tom by the sleeve to the couch, "Lay down, pull yourself together." Travis took the other couch and pulled out his drumsticks. He sat sideways on the couch and began to practice beats on the cushion in front of him.

Tom took five deep breaths and looked up at Mark who began to move around the room, opening up the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water. He drank half the bottle in one go, holding it out to Tom. The younger brunette took the water and sat up halfway to finish it off.

"You doing better, Tom?" Mark sat on the arm of the leather sofa Tom was laying on. Tom threw the water bottle into the recycling bin in the corner of the room. The door opened and Steve walked in on his cellphone.

Tom nodded laying back down and watched as Steve finished up his phone call. Tom looked at him, watching the way Steve rolled his arm with impatience as the caller continued. "Okay. Yeah Babe. I know. No, I'll make sure to call you when we get to the hotel. No, there will be no strippers."

Tom giggled and watched as Mark got up and swayed his hips over to Steve. In a high pitched voice, Mark spoke to the tall blonde. "Oh Stevie! Stevie I loved the way you tipped last night. Let's go over here and I can give you a private show!"

Mark continued to moan loudly in his womanly voice and made sloppy wet sounds falling over Steve.

Travis had stop drumming and looked on with a smile. Tom had turned on his side and was hysterically laughing, grabbing at his sides.

Steve turned red, pulled the phone away from his ear and began smacking Mark away from him. Mark, being overly dramatic, screamed and ran to the couch Tom was laying on.

Tom threw his arms up over his face to protect himself seeing Mark begin to launch his body in his direction. "Tommy! Oh, Tommy! He hit me! He HIT me! Save me, save me!!!" Mark bounced his body around on top of the younger boy, making the giggles increase until he heard Tom gasping to refill his lungs.

Mark smiled seeing a glimmer of the old Tom; the carefree, fearless spirit that would do anything for a laugh. Tom continued and looked at Steve, who was nearly pulling his hair out and shooting daggers at Mark.

Mark smirked and stood up, moving to the end of the couch where Tom's feet lay. Mark raised the Vanns and replaced them upon his own lap. Mark stretched his own legs out in front of him and crosses his ankles.

Steve finished his phone call, sliding it into his pocket. "Hoppus, you're gonna be the reason I get divorced. On that little line where it says 'reason for divorce' there your name will be. Asshole."

The three men watched as Steve walked to a table near the door and returned with a sheet of paper. He looked at each band member starting with Travis and ending with Mark, who was still wearing his comical 'You Love Me Anyways' smile.

Glancing back down at the paper in his hand he continued to speak, not knowing when the next interruption would be. "Alright, moving on to talk business. It's..." pausing to check his watch, "just about 10 a.m. You guys need to have a full sound check. You're going to run through the entire thing start to finish today. Get the feel of the stage, Tom the stage narrows on your side a bit so you're going to have to stay closer to Mark's area than you're used to."

Mark had calmed down and got his 'business' look on his face. He was listening intently and nodding as Steve went through the process of the day. Mark knew Tom wouldn't have a problem staying close to him, definitely not after the way the past few nights had been going.

On the other couch, Travis had finished drumming and moved on to twirling his drumsticks between his nimble fingers. He slowed his twirling when he noticed Mark had not taken his hands off Tom's shoes from when he pulled them on there to sit with Tom. He squinted at what he thought was Mark's thumbs rubbing back and forth on Tom's ankles, his pajama pants falling back to reveal the pale skin.

Mark coughed and moved his hands away from Tom's expose skin. His eyes flickered up to Travis, then over to Tom. Tom's eyes were beginning to close as Steve droned on.

Mark watched Tom fall asleep and sighed. Happy that Tom was able to relax, he reminded himself to pay attention to Steve. Mark heard the tail end of what would be happening over the course of the day.

"...so basically you have till 12 to finish the set list, break for lunch then a phone interview at 1:30. After that,we head to the hotel and you guys are free and clear till tomorrow at 11."

Travis asked a question. Mark didn't hear it, he was preoccupied with watching the sleeping boy to his right. Steve continued to talk and started to walk over to Tom.

"Damn kid, slept through everything!" Moving closer to the silent boy, raising a hand towards Tom.

Mark's eyes widened and his hands flew up wildly waving back and forth, his head motioning 'no' as well. Steve's confusion was visible on his face, and Mark tried to explain.

"Uh, don't wake him. He hasn't been sleeping well and him not sleeping well turns into me not sleeping well. Just give him a few more minutes, I'll relay everything to him, we'll be on time for everything." Mark let his head fall back.

Travis chirped in, "Well, we won't be more late than we usually are." He stood up walked to the door, wanting to take a look around the venue before they began sound check. They had about a half hour before they needed to start practice. "I'll see you guys on stage, okay?"

With Travis exploring the venue, Steve left Mark with sleeping Tom. Mark knew he would have to wake Tom soon, he always took a few minutes to wake up.

Mark debated using the bathroom before waking the younger man. Deciding against it, knowing that if he left and Tom woke up alone...he shuddered at the possibility of Tom having a panic attack.

The blue eyed man lifted the other man's feet from his lap and stood up to walk around and get ready to practice. He jumped up and down a few times, and looked at his watch. The small black dial read 10:10. Tom needed about 10 minutes to wake himself up and get changed for practice. That gave him about five minutes before he needed to rouse the boy.

Mark looked around wondering how he could entertain himself for five whole minutes. His brown eyes fell upon a rolly chair. Sitting backwards on the chair, he backed up until he bumped into the wall.

Rocking back and forth he counted, "One, two, three!" On three he pushed off the wall with his feet and sailed across the room. He repeated his counting and again flew to the opposite side. On his third pass across the room he heard Tom stirring. It caused him to awkwardly lean at a different angle and used too much downward force, tipping the rolly chair.

Tom shot up, looking around alarmed as the loud noise of Mark falling in the chair face first woke him abruptly. Finding the older man splayed out on the floor, he layed back down and had a hand over his chest. Mark rolled off the chair and smiled up at Tom.

"Well hello there, Sunshine!" Tom looked back down to the man who had spoken. He raised his hand from his chest up to his tired face, rubbed it and moved it into his hair. The brown eyed boy rubbed his head, and yawned, smacking his lips loudly and turning to face Mark.

Mark stood up and went over to Tom's bag. Pulling out the khakis, Mark gave them to Tom and said softly, "10 minutes and we have to be on stage. Steve said the stage is smaller so you'll have to stick closer to me. I know, it sucks to have you be near me."

Tom smiled sleepily at Mark who was looming over him still. He gave a tired greeting to the older man.

"Hi."

Mark smiled back at Tom, leaning down to give him a quick peck on the head.

The brown eyed man groaned and sat up, beginning to get changed into the clothes he had been given. "Mark, can I ask you a question?"

Sensing something serious about to be brought up, Mark busied himself by rummaging through his napsack. "You just did, my friend. You just did."

Standing up to button his khakis, he whinned, "Awwww come on Mark. I have a real question." Slipping on his Vanns again, he began to walk over to the crouched man.

"Okay Thomas, what's your question." Mark continued to search for nothing in particular. He pulled out his black Atticus hat and placed it next to him.

Reaching down to pick up the hat and place it low over his own eyes, Tom swallowed then asked, "How come you always give me kisses?"

Mark froze with his hands in his bag. He let out a quiet, "Fuck."


	4. Chapter 4

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, shit, fuck." The blue eyed man whispered to himself.

Mark's hands were frozen in his bag. He let himself fall back from his crouched position on the floor.

"Mark?" Tom kicked his foot, gently hitting a coffee table while nervously twisting his upper body.

It was Mark's turn to take five deep breaths. Looking up to the younger man, he watched Tom's movements. He appeared to be nervous. Hands in his pockets, he twisted back and forth. Tom pulled his left hand out, picking at his black nail polish.

"Um, yea. About that...why do I kiss you so much? Good question..." Mark began to stall for time. It was his turn to be nervous.

He scratched the back of his neck. Picked at some invisible speck of lint on his shirt. Turning around to face Tom, Mark stretched his legs out.

Deciding that his best way out would be to make the younger boy laugh, Mark tried explaining again.

"Well, you see Tommy, when a man loves a woman-" Mark was interrupted by Tom's outrageously high pitched utter of disgust.

"What?! Are you saying what I think you're fucking saying to me? You calling me a woman? I look nothing like a female." Tom continued to rant.

It started out as a forced chuckle, then soon grew into a full hearted laugh as Tom continued to ramble. He paused his laughter to egg Tom on, "Yea, well with all the bitching you're doing it's hard to tell!"

Tom's mouth dropped open, wobbled up and down a few times. Mark wondered for a moment if he had gone too far. Tom had been extremely sensitive lately and he bit his lip gauging his friend's reaction.

Mark's eyes widened slightly in surprise as Tom let out a large, loud, "Ha! Gotcha!"

Both men looked to the doorway as it creaked open. Travis stuck his head in, looking around.

"You guys are still here? It's 10:30. We need to be on stage to run through everything." Travis grabbed his drumsticks and left the two men behind.

Mark jumped up and gave Tom a kiss on the cheek before giving a maniacal laugh and running to catch up to Travis.

Tom pursed his lips and squinted his left eye. He went to his bag, opened it and looked inside for the pink plush toy. Finding it, he pulled out the pig and began to talk to it.

"He didn't answer my question, Piggy. He's up to something, he avoided my question!"

Rubbing his nose on his sleeve and giving Piggy a quick squeeze, he placed him gently back into the bag.

"Safe and sound." Giving the back a tiny double pat, he went off in search of the stage, ignoring the fact that Mark had left him alone.

He thought he had seen Mark and Travis turn right out of the door, perhaps that was the way to the stage. Tom bit his lip nervously and he left the dressing room in search of the two older men.

He didn't see Mark running full speed back to the room he had just left. Mark didn't have time to stop as he watched Tom step out of the dressing room and into the backstage area. Mark reached out to prevent the taller boy from falling backwards.

"Oh crap! You okay? I mean, you didn't freak out or anything right? I forgot about your whole being alone issue. I'm so sorry, I forgot all about it and came running back as soon as I remembered!"

Tom looked at Mark, face full of concern and worry, then around them, making sure no one could hear their conversation. "Litterally running back, huh? I'm alright, I knew you were close by."

Tom fixed his hat as he spoke. He smiled at Mark and the two of them walked side by side to the main stage, ready to practice.

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Slumping against the elevator wall, Mark closed his eyes for a moment. Their run through on stage had been pretty good, he had trouble remembering a few times where to begin his bass chords. Tom was so close to him it was distracting. He didn't have the heart to tell him to move over a little more, the stage wasn't THAT small.

Lunch had been uneventful and Tom perked up a little bit during the phone interview. They made it back to their hotel unscathed by the reporters and fans that had found where they were staying by 4:00.

Tom watched the red digital numbers change as the elevator carried the men and their security to the 7th floor.

Travis rocked back and forth on his heels also watching the numbers climb. When the door dinged and all six men shuffled off the elevator, he handed out the key cards. They each got their own room, with security and other various crew members on their floor.

"So what do you guys want to do? Got any plans or do you two want to chill?" Travis said while finding his door and swiping his key card. He was next door to Adam, his personal security guard. Looking across the hall he noticed that Mark and Seth, were opening their doors.

Tom looked down at his key card. Rick, their manager, had written 720 on his card. He looked at Mark's door, 724, then back down to his card again. Frowning, he looked at Travis and mumbled, "I don't have any plans. Why what're you thinking?"

Mark cut Travis off, "I do actually," he paused to move into his room, throwing his bag on the bed then came back out. He noted Tom's surprised and crestfallen face as he continued.

"Some buddies of mine are nearby, so I was gonna catch up with them and then maybe cause some mischief back here."

Travis spoke up, sensing the sour reaction to Mark's words on Tom. "Hey no, that's cool. Tom you wanna hang out? We can go check out that space museum we passed on our way here!"

Mark looked at Tom's reaction, he had wanted to let Tom know his friends from the band Kut U Up were here, but just hadn't had the chance. He could tell Tom wasn't happy, but honestly he wasn't required to tell him. Mark was his own person and could have a social life outside of Blink.

Tom agreed to go with Travis and moved to put his things away. Everyone had gone back into their rooms, Tom, Travis and Adam were going to meet up in 10 minutes.

Mark closed his door almost entirely, peeking back out to watch Tom slowly move down the hall. Was he pouting?He was definitely pouting.

Mark slipped out the door and as softly as he could, ran down the hall to catch up with Tom. Tom's room was down a little ways and around a corner with Frank, Tom's bodyguard.

"Hey! Tom, wait up a minute." Mark caught up with the younger man and placed a hand on his shoulder. Tom was facing his door, key card in hand ready to open it.

Tom felt Mark's warm hand rest on his left shoulder. Turning his head slightly to see the blue eyed man out of he corner of his eye, Tom saw Mark with a cheesy smile on his face.

"Tom, I was gonna tell you about my plans tonight. Honest, I was. We're gonna grab dinner then head out to a bar or something and then be back to fuck shit up here."

Tom sighed. He knew better than to get upset over Mark hanging out with his friends. He knew better, but it didn't help make him feel any better.

"Whatever Mark, it's cool. Travis said he'd hang out with me. I just..." Tom trailed off. He closed his tired eyes and sucked in his lip ring, biting on it slowly.

Mark took the key card from Tom's hand and unlocked the door, moving around Tom to walk in and hold the door open for the boy. "Let's talk in here, okay? You can tell me what's bothering you."

Tom frowned, and moved in past the older man. He looked around at his hotel room. Jade with gold diamond designs danced across the carpet, wall to wall. There was a desk with a black, high backed, leather rolly chair and a low dresser with a good sized flat screen kitty cornered near a mini fridge.

Two double beds dressed in a cranberry and gold fleur-de-lis pattern with, what looked like, an overly adequate amount of pillows at the head of the beds, were against the wall opposite the dresser. A small bedside table with slim black phone on it was sandwiched between the two beds. A large mirror was over the low dresser, reflecting the lonely looking beds.

Tom walked past the bathroom and closet on the right to move to the bed closest to the window that looked out upon an enclosed courtyard that was filled with lush greens and ponds.

Setting his things on the bed, Tom turned around and put his heads in his hands as he sat down. Mark moved to the bed opposite Tom, sitting down and reaching out to pry the hands away from brown eyed singer's face.

"Talk." Mark said it as an order, but was ever so gentle with Tom's hands that the younger man knew he meant no ill will.

"What if I start to freak the fuck out again? What do I do if Travis loses me at the museum? What do I do if I can't fucking breathe?" Tom was beginning to hyperventilate just spilling his thoughts to Mark.

Mark looked into Tom's clouded eyes, watching them flicker to the jade carpets, pupils dilating with fear. He reached out a hand, placing it under the chin of the younger man and lifted it so that Tom's eyes fell upon his own.

"Call me. I'll try to help the best I can. Maybe we should talk to Travis about what's going on with you. That way he can help too." Mark tried reasoning. Tom shook his head, Mark's hand falling to Tom's knee.

"No, no, Travis can't know. I don't want him thinking I'm weak. I can't tell him, then he will look at me funny and think I'm a pussy." Tom shot up and started to dig in his bag for his wallet and cell. He pulled out a red Hurley hoodie and removed Mark's Atticus hat before pulling it over his body.

Replacing the hat, he asked Mark, "Can I wear your hat?" Mark nodded and stood up. Walking to the door and holding it open, he turned back to watch Tom pull Piggy out of his bag, hold the pig's snout up to his nose and take a deep breath.

Mark looked away, happily sighing at how cute Tom was sometimes. They walked silently down the hall to Travis's room and Tom reached out to knock. Travis appeared moments later, asking Tom if he had his key card. Mark lifted his hands holding out Tom card between two fingers. Tom grabbed it, shoving it into a pocket and went to knock on Adam's door.

While Tom was talking to Adam, Mark pushed Travis into his room and spoke quickly and quietly. "Okay dude, here's the deal. Tom's been off lately. He's been having these horrible nightmares and it's causing a lot of anxiety for him. If he starts to freak out call me. I'll try to help out as best as I can. Tom doesn't want you to know though, so you can't let him know you know. Okay?"

Mark frowned widely, showing his teeth and looked to Travis. "Yea," the younger man agreed, " I knew something was up. I'll letcha know if I need your help."

Travis opened the door to a deer in the headlights look on Tom's young face. Tom raised an eyebrow, looking at Travis, then Mark. He started to ask, "Why are you two-" then was cut off by a loud shout coming from the elevators.

"MARKY MARK! Where are you big boy?" Mark broke out into a grin hearing his friends shout as they piled off the elevator.

He pushed past Travis and Tom to give them all hugs and high fives. "Man, I haven't seen you guys in forever!"

Travis nodded to each of the men and closed his door, motioning to Tom to follow. "Bye Mark." Tom whispered as he watched his best friend greet each of the men, too caught up in the excitement to realize his own bandmates were leaving.

As Travis, Adam and Tom waited for the elevator, he mumbled to himself, "Wish I brought Piggy..." Travis tried to act like he hadn't heard that comment from Tom.

The elevator dinged and Tom took one more look down the hall to where Mark was laughing at something one of the guys said.

The three men caught a taxi to the space museum Travis had seen earlier. Adam sat up front with the driver and Tom scratched at his nail polish.

They arrived at the museum and Tom began to get a little excited. Travis pointed out the banner at the entrance on an alien exhibit that was there till the end of the month.

They spent a good part of the evening there, getting dinner in the café. They went back to the alien exhibit for a second time at Tom's request.

Noticing there was only an older couple speaking in hushed tones, Adam stepped out of the large room to use the bathroom. Travis wandered around the room, slightly bored. They had been in the exhibit for the past 15 minutes and had spent nearly an hour looking at all the articles and artifacts earlier in the evening. He looked at his watch, it was almost 8:00 p.m.

"Tom the museum is closing in a few minutes lets wrap it up here." Travis looked at his watch again and walked towards the exit. Tom had mumbled an okay, but wasn't really paying attention to his friend's words.

Tom finished reading the article for the second time on aliens visiting the Easter Islands in the 1600s. He was convinced they had in fact visited and left clues for future generations to find.

Tom looked around the large room.

Alone. He was alone.

Tom began to walk to the other side of the room, as if Travis or Adam could be hiding behind a glass display that he couldn't see.

The first tendrils of fear creeped up on the brown eyed man, his breath increasing, and hands beginning to shake. Fuck. Where was Travis?

"Tr-tr-travis?" Tom's voice cracked as he called out to his friend. He ran to the doorway and looked out of the exhibit, seeing no one nearby.

He backed up against a wall and slid down, pulling his feet into his body. Tom rested his head on his crossed arms over his knees, biting the edge of his hoodie. "Fuck, fuck fuck. All alone. They left. They fucking left me...." Tom rambled on, beginning to rock as tears fell down his flushed cheeks.

Travis walked back into the room, wiping his mouth, having gone to find a water fountain. He stopped suddenly, nearly causing himself to trip. He let out a quiet, "Shit" as he ran to his friend, crouching down to talk with him.

"Tom? Tom, hey you're not alone. Let's go, the place is closing. We're going to go back to the hotel." Travis tried to pull Tom to his feet, but he just weighed too much.

Travis stooped down next to Tom and told him quietly, as if he might spook the crying boy, "I've gotta go get Adam, Tom. He's gonna get you out of here."

Travis found Adam, and ran back to Tom. The crumpled man had begun to mumble Mark's names over and over again. "Yea, buddy. I know, I'll call him. I'm sure he'll meet us back at the hotel.

They caught a taxi back. Tom had slumped against Travis, curling up on the dirty taxi cab seats. He clung onto a tattooed arm, mumbling his chant of Mark's name. Adam gave directions to the driver, navigating to a private garage attached to the hotel to get the boys in safely.

Travis dialed Mark's number. It rang seven times before going to his voicemail. He redialled nine times before giving up as they reached the private garage.

Travis pulled Tom out of the taxi as Adam payed and motioned to Travis to give him Tom. Adam cradled the still teary eyed man like a child, carrying him to the elevator. Tom, sniffling and shaking closed his eyes as a fresh bout of tears began to roll down his cheeks.

He knew Travis had not gotten ahold of Mark. Mark, the one person who knew how to calm him, the one person that didn't have to say a damn thing and still be able to comfort him was not answering his phone.

As they rode the elevator to the 7th floor, Tom's rhythmic chant of Mark's name began to include "Fuck Kut U Up, need Mark."

They moved to Travis's room, Adam setting Tom down on a couch. Tom's thoughts fluttered to wondering why he didn't have a couch in his hotel room, then back to remembering Mark was gone. Tom curled up in a little ball on the couch, appearing smaller and younger than ever.

Travis thanked Adam for helping with Tom, and asked him to stay with him for just a moment more while he made a phone call. Travis stepped out into the hallway, making sure to stick out the golden bar on his door for one of the locks so he'd be able to return to his room, and knocked on Mark's hotel door.

While waiting to see if anyone was in, he tried calling Mark's phone once more.

Again, seven rings and he heard the familiar recorded voice of Mark. "¡Hola! Mi amo señor Mark Hoppus. Yo not answering mi telephono right now. Leave a message-o after the beep-o! Gracias. BEEEEEP"

Travis spoke in a low, clear voice. "Mark, you asshole, Tom's freaking out and you are now deciding to not answer your fucking phone! You need to get back here ASAP, nothing I'm doing seems to help." Travis took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, "He's asking for you, no actually I lied. He's fucking crying for you, your name, over and over. Call me when you get this, he's in my room. Fucking get here as soon as you can."

Feeling better after ranting on Mark's voicemail, he stepped back into his room. Adam raised an eyebrow to Travis, when the drummer shook his head no, he walked to the door, mentioning that he'd text Seth to see where they were at.

Travis thanked him and closed the door behind the older man. Travis looked to the golden couch and at the boy sobbing and shaking on it. "Fuck."

Walking over to the couch, he took his cell out of his pocket to set it on the side table. Sitting at the other end of the couch, he turned on the tv so he would hear something else other than Tom's cries for Mark.

He turned the volume down and clicked around, settling on a UFC rerun. Iceman v. Rampage. He crossed his legs, slouched down a tad bit and settled in to watch the fight, looking over at Tom when he heard him quiet down a little bit.

Tom had stopped crying for a moment to peer down the other end of the couch. Without asking for permission, Tom crawled down to the other end of the couch and layed down, placing his head on the older man's stomach, facing into his chest.

Travis looked down at Tom, this was the first time ever he had sought out comfort from him. Usually, Mark was always available for whatever Tom needed. Travis caught Tom's eyes and watched as one of his best friends crumbled again.

It was Travis's turn to look unsure and bite his lip ring. He slowly moved his right hand up to pull off Tom's Atticus hat. He placed the hat on the arm of the couch, taking another look at his cellphone before running his hand over Tom's sweating head.

He wasn't quite sure how to handle things. Mark took care of Tom, not Travis. He cursed Mark under his breath as the younger man rambled on about Mark and his stuffed pig, Piggy. Travis's eyes moved back up to the screen to watch the fight.

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Two hours later, Mark fell off the elevator with the four members of Kut U Up. He was laughing hysterically, Chris had just mooned the entire front staff at the hotel. They made it down the hall whispering shushes at each other, causing one another to begin another fit of laughter.

Mark opened his door and they all fell in, still slightly drunk from their drinking games at a bar down the road. As the men opened up a bottle of JD from the mini fridge, Mark excused himself to go to the bathroom. While in there he checked his phone, wondering slightly how Tom was doing.

His heart dropped when he saw 10 missed calls from Travis and one voicemail. He winced as he heard the start of Travis's angry voicemail and cursing at himself for not checking his phone earlier.

He slipped out of his room and into the hallway. He knocked softly on Travis's door, not really wanting to face what was behind the door. He was surprised when Adam's door opened up instead of the one he was in front of.

Adam didn't say a thing, he didn't need to. Mark could see the disappointment in his face. Adam slid a key card into Travis's door and returned to his room.

Mark quickly opened the heavy door, pushing it more slowly not knowing what he would be walking into.

He was not prepared for what lay before him.

Travis had fallen asleep, still sitting on the couch, legs crossed and his head tipped back. A light snore was dancing on his lips.

What really got to Mark and pulled on his heart strings, was Tom. Tom was curled into the drummer still laying on the couch, head resting on Travis's stomach.

Mark shut the door quietly, making Travis jump slightly. Although still asleep, his hands began to move through Tom's hair. Travis's eyes began to flutter open, looking around, noticing Mark standing next to the couch.

"I am so fucking sorry that this happened." Mark whispered, leaning down to take the Atticus hat off the couch and placing it on his head.

Travis shook his head and simply said, "You need to tell him that." Pointing to the sleeping boy on him, hearing Tom take a deep shuttering breath.

Mark winced, and leaned down to unwrap Tom's fingers from the drummer's cut off shirt.

Mark's heart swelled a little bit as he heard Tom begin to mumble in his sleep, "Mark, need my Mark..."

He sat Tom up, bracing a knee on the couch as Tom's head flopped around like a newborn. He lifted the younger boy into his arms, faltering slightly when he tried to stand up, he was coming down off his buzz from the Jose Cuervo he had consumed earlier in the evening.

He thanked Travis for his help and left the room, walking down the hallway carrying the sleeping man. Mark turned the corner and came to a stop outside room 720. He bit the inside of his lip as he shifted Tom in his arms, only to have him cling tighter and wrap his legs around Mark's body tighter.

Mark felt the outside of Tom's pants pockets, seeking the key card shape. He found it in his right pocket. Mark shifted Tom to his left, the younger boy bringing his arms up in his sleepy state and around Mark's neck. Tom began to wake up, not fully aware yet where he was.

Mark reached in, grabbed ahold of Tom's key card and pulled it back out to unlock the door. Mark slipped into the room as Tom lifted his head and looked around.

Tom began to realize who he was with and remembered what happened earlier that evening. "M-m-mark..." Tom began to sniffle and hugged the older man.

Mark walked over to the bed closer to the window, trying to lay Tom down on his bed. Tom would not let go.

Tom began to cry, first tiny little droplets, then as they tumbled down his cheeks, they grew pregnant, colliding with other tears as they fell off his chin and nose.

"Tom, stop buddy. It's okay now, I'm here. I'm here, I'm here." Tom began to relax as Mark rubbed his back up and down, pressing kisses into his wet cheeks.

"I need-eeded you, and y-you wer-weren't there..." Tom tried to speak but broke off, another round of tears making its way out.

Mark felt horrible, he hadn't stopped frowning since he picked Tom up from Travis's room. Blue eyes, filled with sadness, looked upon Tom. Pulling off his hat and throwing it in the general direction of the other bed, he tried to stand up and strip down to his black boxers and white undershirt.

Tom tried to resist Mark's hands as they pried his own clothes off, leaving him in just his red and white polkadot boxers and black t-shirt.

Mark convinced the younger boy to go to the bathroom while he got the bed pulled down. Mark worked to turn down the sheets and grab Piggy.

Upon leaving the bathroom, Tom rubbed his eyes and sniffled loudly. He blew his nose into the tissue he had grabbed while in the bathroom.

Throwing the tissue on the floor, he climbed into bed and snuggled up against Mark. Tom grabbed the edge of Mark's undershirt and began to thumb it. He sniffled uncontrollably and lay his head in the crook of Mark's left arm.

Mark pulled the covers up to Tom's chin, brushing the dark hair off Tom's forehead. Mark gave Tom a long kiss on the forehead and pulled him closer. He gave the weepy boy Piggy.

Tom looked up at Mark and whispered to his older friend, "Please, please stay with me all night. Don't leave me alone. I don't like being alone..." Tom's voice faded.

Mark closed his eyes and pulled Tom in for another kiss on the forehead, "Anything you want. I'm not going anywhere, baby."

Tom looked up to Mark when he heard him use that term of endearment. It was the first time he had called him that. It was also the first time all night Tom gave a little smile.

He liked Mark calling him baby. Maybe there wouldn't be any nightmares tonight.

He hoped.


	5. Chapter 5

Tom opened one sleepy brown eye and closed it. Sunlight was pouring into the room shining brightly down upon him. He blinked a few more times before closing his eyes and snuggling deeper into the warm body next to him.

Tom had started to drift off into slumberland again when Mark's voice softly came floated into his ears.

"Tom? Tom are you awake yet?"

Tom yawned and opened his eyes to look up into the blue orbs staring back down at him.

"Hmmm?" he mumbled, still in his half sleep state.

"Tom, if you're awake let me know. I have to pee so fucking bad. I waited for you to wake though so you wouldn't think I wasn't here." Mark wiggled his left arm, moving Tom's head with his arm.

Tom grunted an acknowledgement and rolled into Mark's warm spot. He stared at the wall and waited for the other man to return.

He listened, hearing the toilet flush and the sink begin to run. When the water turned off, Mark opened the door and padded back to the slumbering boy.

Crawling over Tom's curled body, he was surprised to see his brown eyes watching the wallpaper.

"Hey," Mark said with a smile, "Bout time you woke up. It's after 10:30! I was getting bored just watching you sleep." Mark began to twirl Tom's dark locks between his fingertips.

Tom raised his eyes, and bit his lip, the opposite side of his lip ring. "You...you watched me sleep?" Tom smirked as the blush creeped up on Mark's face.

Mark smiled and looked to the side, the blush staying with him. "Um, yea. I was, it made me feel happy that you looked so peaceful after all the fucked up shit I put you through last night..."

Mark stopped talking when a frown crawled up on the younger man.

"Fuck, I'm sorry dude. I didn't mean to bring that all up again." Mark hugged Tom close, and placed a kiss against his temple.

Staying close to Tom's forehead he began to speak, "About last night, I won't let it happen again. I won't leave your side until you're doing better. Promise bab-"

A cell phone chirped next to the bed and Tom groaned, digging deeper into the covers and pressing an ear into Mark's stomach.

Tom was sure Mark was going to call him baby again, something that made the butterflies come to life inside him again. It had been the very reason Tom had slept so well last night, that and knowing Mark would be there when he woke up.

Mark reached over to answer his phone, glad that he had placed it there last night rather than leaving it in his pants pockets as usual.

"Yello?"

"Marky Mark! Where'd you go off to last night?You find a hott chick to bone?" The speaker, who was being obnoxiously loud in Tom's opinion, paused to gasp.

"Are you still with her, you old dog!?"

Mark wasn't quite sure how to answer that. He felt himself beginning to talk before his thoughts were all together and stumbled over his words.

"Um, yea, som-something like that. Yea, I'm still in bed with the h-hottie. What's, what's up with you guys?"

Tom felt himself blush again, wrapping an arm around Mark's waist. Was he the hottie Mark was speaking about or was Mark making something up to placate his friends?

The tinny sounding voice laughed, "Damn, well are you able to break yourself away? We want to go get breakfast. We're thinking the restaurant downstairs. Or you can bring her with you and we can have her walk the walk of shame out of here!"

"Uh, yea no that's okay. Stay where you are, I'll come to you guys. I like this one, I don't need you scaring my dates away. Let me go get the guys and we'll meet up with you." Mark replied.

Mark finished his phone call and sent Travis a text telling him to get up and be ready to eat. Mark placed his cell back on the bedside table and drummed his fingers on Tom's pillow.

His fingers traveled south, tapping the younger man on the crown of his head, then tugging at Tom's sleeve, motioning to come back up and talk to him. Tom wiggled back up and traced a pattern on Mark's chest.

Mark tried to ignore Tom 's light touch, wanting to say something to Tom, but not quite sure how to begin. He was still trying to decide on a way to explain his actions when Tom beat him to it.

"Mark?" Tom began, " What's going on with us? You're being very....loving towards me. Am I imagining things?"

Tom was nervous asking these questions, fingering the sleeve of Mark's undershirt. Mark hadn't noticed, he was trying to calm the nerves within himself.

Mark swore under his breath and bit the inside of his cheek. Ready to finally spill his innermost thoughts, Mark swallowed hard and spoke.

"No, you're not imagining things-"

There was a heavy knock at the door causing the snuggling men to jump slightly. The two men could hear Travis trying to talk through the door.

Both men sighed disappointedly. Mark moved to get out of bed to answer the door, but had to pause when Tom reached out for him.

Tom asked in a quiet voice,"Where you going?"

Pointing to the door Mark replied, "I can't hear Travis, I'm going to open the door so we can hear him. I'm not leaving, don't worry your pretty little head." Tapping his friend's head while he said the last part of his sentence.

Smiling, Tom nodded. He rolled over to watch Mark walk to the door. Looking around slightly he found Piggy on the floor. Tom reached down for the farm animal as Mark turned the door handle.

Travis was surprised to see Mark answering Tom's door. Mark pursed his lips and ran a hand through his hair. They spoke in hushed tones at the doorway before Mark moved to the left to let the drummer in.

Travis moved past Mark, walking to the still made bed next to Tom. Travis sat and made small talk with Tom. Mark seemed happy that Tom was being occupied. It was a chance for him to jump in the shower real quick.

Mark walked to the bathroom and turned on the water. He peeled off his undershirt and placed his thumbs on the inside of his boxers ready to pull them off. Hesitating, he walked back out to the room and rummaged through Tom's bag.

Travis had turned around when he heard Mark walk back out. Seeing Mark in only his boxers, he diverted his eyes and asked Mark, "Why am I not surprised ur practically naked. Are we having breakfast with your friends?"

Mark turned to answer, Tom's extra boxers and a tshirt in his hands. He opened Tom's shirt to see what was on it, bringing it down, and said, "I'm sexy naked. You know you enjoy it,"

Mark stood with his eyes opened wide as he noticed Tom staring at his body. Was he breathing harder? It was hard to tell. He reached down to pick up his pants he wore last night.

Mark quickly walked back to the bathroom, finishing his sentence, "Yea, the guys are gonna join us. I'll be out in five minutes."

Tom had followed Mark's nearly naked body into the steam filled room. He swallowed hard and tried not to think about what was happening behind the thin wall.

"Earth to Tom, calling all Toms, are you still with us?" Tom blinked and shook his head, realizing Travis was talking to him and waving a hand in front of his face.

Tom groaned and flopped back down, pulling the covers over his face and Piggy into him. Travis laughed to himself, shaking his head at his flustered friend.

Mark returned five minutes later like he had said, and walked back into the room. He was running a towel through his still damp hair.

Travis turned on the TV to wait for the two men to finish getting ready. He reclined against the headboard, moving his hands behind his head and crossed his ankles. Tom still needed to get ready, he could be waiting upwards of 20 minutes for the brown eyed man to be ready.

Mark threw the towel onto the tile floor in the bathroom and walked back in between the beds, grabbing his phone in one hand and shaking the hidden boy with the other.

He reached up to pull the covers off Tom's face and saw how serious the boy looked. Mark made a face at Tom, making the boy laugh bashfully.

"Time to get up,Tom. I'm hungry, Travis is hungry," Mark paused to raise both eyebrows at the growling noise that came from under the covers, "and now I know you're hungry."

Tom gave Mark a cheesy smile, and shook his head in opposition, challanging the older man. Tom tried to escape Mark's dancing fingers as they ran over his body, squealing in delight. Mark lifted up the end of the covers to reveal Tom's feet.

Travis watched with a smile as Mark tortured the younger boy.

Feeling the cold air hit his feet, Tom sat up and tried to squirm away from Mark's quick fingers. However, Mark was quick and able to grab both ankles, using his upper body to pin Tom down and began to tickle the giggling boy's feet.

"Say it. Say it, Tommy! I am the master of the punk rock universe and all other bassists shall bow down to me!"

Tom repeated Mark's words, gasping for breath and adding in, "Let go, or I'll pee everywhere..."

Mark let go of Tom's feet and watched as Tom rolled over and snuggled down deep in the covers. Mark's eyebrows arched with fake fiery, shouting short "out!"'s and "now!"'s.

Eventually, Tom surfaced from the covers and stretched as he sat on the edge of the bed. He let out an over the top yawn and smacked his lips while looking around. Travis had a watchful eye on him, he could feel it. Tom looked at Travis before launching himself at the drummer and rolling onto the other bed. Travis laughed and pushed him away as the younger man tried to cuddle with him.

"Enough!" Travis said, not really shouting. Travis never raised his voice, "That was a one time thing, get your ass up and in the shower already. You stink."

Pretending to be hurt by his friend's words, he sulked as he stood up. Tom was acting normal, his own flamboyantly twisted normal self. He walked to Mark with his head down.

Mark, playing along with his friends, sniffed the air as Tom got near him.

"Ew, you do smell, Tom. Go shower." Mark pushed Tom towards the bathroom, Tom following along until he reached the edge of the tile. His toes just barely touched the threshold. Mark's eyes followed Tom, picking up on the change in body language on the younger man.

Travis was distracted by the TV had not been watching Tom. Mark came up behind Tom, putting a hand up on his shoulder.

"Come on now, Tom. I'm right here, I'm not going to leave the room. You need a shower. It will make you feel so much better." Mark whispered.

Tom nodded, but didn't budge. Mark looked over at Travis and then back to Tom. He walked into the bathroom, turned the shower on then moved back to Tom's bag, pulling out his friend's toiletry kit. Walking back to the bathroom, he began to manicure himself, taking his time to brush his hair with Tom's comb, mess it up then start all over again.

Looking over to the frozen boy, Mark raised his eyes drastically, hunched forward towards Tom, then motioned to the shower.

Tom walked onto the tile and began to pull up his shirt, peeling it off his body and looked towards Mark, who was busy looking at himself and making faces at his reflection. Tom turned towards the shower, pulled back the curtain and slipped his boxers off, stepping under the stream of water.

The wet brunette sighed under the water, resting his palms on the tile below the shower head and leaned his weight on them. He looked through the frosted curtain at his best friend, then reached for the hotel shampoo and created suds upon his head.

After finishing his washing ritual, he turned the water off and stood for a moment, just letting the water droplets run down his skinny frame. He opened the curtain slightly, poking his head out.

"Mark? Can you pass me a towel?" Mark complied, and completed the finishing touches on his hair, tactfully making a 10 minute hairstyle look like he just rolled out of bed.

Wrapping the towel around his waist, Tom stepped out of the tub. Mark nodded at Tom to go into the bedroom and followed a step behind him. Tom went to his bag and maneuvered his clothing on around the towel without revealing anything to his friends.

Travis commented, "Are you feeling well, Tom? You usually have no problem showing off your cock to anyone near by, and you're hiding it now? Are you coming down with something?"

Tom shrugged and pressed his wet hair down at an angle on his forehead and turned off the TV. "Yea maybe, my head does kinda hurt. But, alright let's go." Waving a hand towards the door, Mark and Travis followed Tom.

They walked down to Mark's hotel room and Mark knocked on it, having forgotten his key card on the desk inside.

Mark threw on a smile as the two bands met in the hallway. They road the elevator down together, Kut U Up, Mark and Travis making small talk. Tom stayed silent by Mark's side, looking at the fuzzy red carpet on the floor.

The seven men shuffled into the downstairs café, getting a private room in the back. While the waitresses and waiters rearranged tables and chair, Brandon tried to initiate conversation with Tom.

"So, have you been able to check out any of the local bands? I hear there's a battle of the bands tonight at Hard Rock. We're going, you guys should come." Tom looked at the singer and over to Mark. Tom wasn't sure that had been directed at him or not.

The hostess came back over to the group and let them know their table was ready. Tom answered Brandon as politely as possible, they were friends of Mark after all. "No, we have a show tonight. Then we're heading out right after. Thanks though."

Everyone took a seat, Tom staying close to Mark and scooted his chair to the left to be slightly closer to his source of calmness.

When the waitress, Anna, introduced herself and asked the men what they'd like to drink, Mark spoke up and order coffee and orange juice for everyone, except Tom, who got grape juice. Chris piped up and asked Tom what his deal was with not liking orange juice.

Tom just shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "Jus' don't like it." He tried to ignore the face Chris made at him.

The hungry men began to scan over large plastic covered menus that had been placed before them. Tom's brown eyes skimmed the menu, watching as Mark laughed and teased his friends like they were his own bandmates.

Slowly a frown creeped over Tom's features. His eyebrows furrowed and his bottom lip jutted out as his shoulders slumped.

The waitress returned, pen in hand ready to jot down orders. She started with Mark, batting her emerald eyes at him. Mark placed his order of pancakes with a side of bacon, flirting right back with her.

Anna, twirling her long blonde ponytail, smiled and asked, "Would you like chocolate chips in them?"

Giving a dazzling smile back, Mark responded, "Abso-fucking-lutely!"

Tom decided he had lost his appetite. The waitress looked at him expectantly for an order. "I'm all set with just the juice. Thank you."

Anna move on to Travis who placed his order. Mark leaned over to him and said so just Tom could hear, "You need to have something to eat. We have a show tonight and a very busy day. I don't want to be worrying about you passing out during the show. Pick something to eat, Tom!"

Meeting Tom's eyes, Mark softened a bit, "Please, Tom?" Tom just glared back. The waitress finished with everyone else's orders and came back to Tom.

"Are you sure you don't want anything, hun? We have amazing omlets here!" Anna tried to work her charm on the guitarist.

Tom began to refuse again when Mark interrupted, "He'll have two eggs; scrambled with American cheese, homefries and toast." Anna listed off the different kinds of bread they had and Mark chose for Tom again, who had rolled his eyes and crossed his arms in defiance.

"White toast, please. And do you have any ketchup here? We'll need some of that too." Anna finished writing the order with a smile and nodded walking off in search of the red condiment.

Bringing his attention back to the table, Mark noticed that everyone was staring, aside from Tom who was still sulking.

"What?" Mark asked them all, "He needs to eat, I know what he likes to eat by now, we've been friends for what, three? Four years now? He needs to eat or he turns into Cranky Pants McGee."

Mark threw an ice cube at Chris who went "Awwwwwwwww how cute!" at Mark's explanation.

Conversations started up again among the men. Tom sipped at the juice and began to fidget in his seat.

Leaning to his left he whispered, "Mark? Mark! I've got to pee..."

Not thinking, Mark responded, " So go!"

Tom was shocked by Mark's brush off. Taking a full breath of air, Tom stood and pushed his chair back. He walked to the exit of the café quietly, looking around the halls for a restroom sign.

Travis noticed Tom walking away by himself, the memories of him curled up on top of his own lap still fresh. Leaning across Tom's vacated space, Travis tapped Mark on the arm with the backs of his fingers.

"Hey, Mark, dude where's Tom going?" Full of concern, Travis waited for a response.

"He had to go take a piss, Trav."

"By himSELF?" Travis pressed.

"Shit." Quietly realizing what Travis was getting at, Mark stood up as nonchalantly as he could manage before announcing he was going to use the restroom before the food got here.

Quickly following Tom's path, he left the café and looked around for the nearest restroom. He found it rather quickly, as he got closer he noticed Tom standing outside of it, just looking at the metal panel to push on and enter the bathroom.

Mark spoke softly, "Hey buddy, we can be pee partners together!"

Mark slipped by Tom and pushed the men's room door open, holding it for the younger man. Tom looked relieved and followed Mark in.

Tom walked up to a urinal saying, "Pee partners, okay, but I refuse to hold your dick for you."

Both men finished up, washed their hands and returned to the table just as the food arrived.

"Perfect timing, Anna!" Mark rubbed his hands and he sat back down, leaning forward to grab the syrup.

Tom sat slower and picked up the Heinz bottle, squeezing out a swirly pattern on top of his homefries.

Moving his eggs around, he took small bites here and there. His stomach got the best of him once he tasted some of the food, picking up speed and clearing his plate. He looked around at the others who were still eating and chatting.

"So much for not being hungry, huh?"

Tom looked at Travis and gave him a cheesy grin.

Turning to look at his other bandmate, he noticed Mark was cutting up his pancakes but not really focusing on them, too caught up in conversation.

Twisting his fork in his hand, he slowly brought his utensil closer to Mark's plate. He crept closer with the stealth of a ninja and silently stabbed a double layer of chocolate chip pancakes drenched in maple syrup.

Bringing the fork back to his waiting mouth, he closed his eyes, savoring the sweet taste. Opening them again, intent on stealing another bite, he noticed Mark looking right at him, jaw dropped.

"Did you just steal some of my fucking pancakes, Delonge?!"

Chewing and swallowing the last of the evidence he shook his head, a smile creeping up on his face.

The corners of Mark's eyes crinkled as he smiled back, then mumbling about starving children and bottomless pits, He scraped a portion of his cut pancakes onto Tom's plate and tossed a piece of bacon his way as well.

Licking his lips, Tom thanked him and began to devour the food placed in front of him.

Forks slowly began to settle among the men, coffee and juice sipped slowly and groans of fullness could be heard among them.

Anna came back to the table, left the check and a smaller piece of paper with Mark.

Mark smirked when he read the handwritten numbers and tossed it across the table to Chris.

Chris read the scribbles and shook his head, "Damn Hoppus. You really are a ladies man. Add this to the numbers you got at the bar, plus the chick you were with last night and you'll be busy for nearly a month!"

Mark shook off the catcalls from the other men and picked up the last of his orange juice to cool himself off from the flushed heat that suddenly arose after last nights events resurfaced.

Tom tried to keep his emotions in check, forcing his frown to look more like an 'I don't care' look. Staring at the syrup dripping off the lip of the dispenser, he avoided eye contact with everyone.

Travis, who was listening to Chris's comment couldn't help but add fuel to Mark's embarrassment. "So Mark... tell us about this chick you banged last night. Was she hott? Where'd you pick her up? How was she?"

Travis rested his chin on his left hand as he batted his eyelashes innocently and looked overly interested in his response with a smile dancing on his lips.

Mark tries to avoid the question, opening the bill and fills out the correct information to have breakfast be added to his hotel room bill.

Mark replaces the pen inside the leather bill fold and slides it to the middle of the table. He looks up to see five pairs of eyes watching and waiting for last night's details.

Mark gulped and looked over at Tom. Tom appeared to be trying to move the syrup dispenser with his mind, not once looking over at Mark.

"She was hott. She was great, but I don't kiss and tell."

Anna came back to the table taking the check and wished all the men a wonderful day, lingering near Mark a bit. Ignoring her, he followed as the men stood up and made their way back to the bank of elevators.

Tom reached the elevators first, and pressed the glowing arrow repeatedly wishing he could just get away from all the annoying laughter and mentions of the "hott chick Mark was with last night".

Why did he care so much? He just wanted to get alone with Mark so they could talk. Looking at his watch, he saw it was 12:30. They would be having to get to the venue soon for sound check, meet and greets and play their show. Then they were being whisked off to another city they'd be playing at tomorrow. Luckily after that they had a two day trip up the east coast to Ohio.

Tom yawned and leaned against the wall, waiting for the elevator. What the hell was taking so long? He rubbed his throat. Uh oh, was that an ache he felt? Sniffing deeply, he felt a dull throb in his nasel cavity.

He hoped his was imagining things.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Sure enough, the boys had no time to themselves before heading to the venue.

Mark packed Tom's things up and then went back to his own room to pack up. Tom followed and tried to ignore the aches in his body, maybe he just wasn't feeling well after all the food he had ate.

Sound check went well, Mark was more on target with his counts and Tom tried stay a reasonable amount of space away while practicing. He felt yesterday he was a little on top of Mark and didn't want to cramp him.

While waiting for the fans to line up for the meet and greet, Tom had a few minutes to talk with Mark while they sat on a couch.

"I don't feel well."

Tom leaned to the left and rested his head on Mark's shoulder.

Mark, who had been scrolling through incriminating pictures taken the previous night, put his phone down to reach a hand up and automatically felt Tom's forehead.

"You feel a little warm, what doesn't feel well?" Mark turned his body slightly to look Tom in the eyes and truly listen to his younger friend.

Tom appeared to be shy as he pointed to his throat and sniffled dramatically.

"When did you start feeling sick? You seemed okay this morning."

Tom shrugged and said, "Hard to tell, I was still stuffy from me being upset last night. It never really went away. I noticed my throat hurting while we were waiting for the elevators after breakfast though."

Mark frowned and tilted his head as he looked at Tom. Tom's brown eyes were slightly red and watery. He kept wiggling his nose to try and breathe better. He had to keep his mouth parted a bit to get oxygen through. He really looked quite pathetic.

"I'm going to talk to Steve, see if you can get out of the meet and greet, take a nap before the show."

Tom reached out to grab Mark's arm. "No! No leaving me. You promised, y-you said anything I wanted. I want you to stay with m-me!"

Mark sat back down and pulled Tom into his own body. Tom's face was pressed against his chest, arms tightly wrapped around Mark's body.

Mark leaned down, pressing his lips into Tom's hair and kissing him lightly while he whispered to him and moving his hands over Tom's hair to smooth it out,"Relax Tom, take it easy, buddy. I was just going to poke my head out and see if that Meghan girl could find him. I'm not going to leave you alone."

Tom squeezed his brown eyes shut and let his grip on Mark loosen slightly.

Mark helped Tom lay down on the couch. He walked to his backpack and pulled out his blanket he had packed from the bus. Opening it up, he threw it up over the stuffy boy, and let it cover his long body. He rezipped his bag and walked back to Tom.

"I'll be right back, just going to stick my head out the door. Okay?" Tom nodded to Mark as the older man opened the door and peered out.

Mark noticed Travis walking by and caught his eye. Travis lifted his head in acknowledgement. "Hey Trav, have you seen Meghan or Steve anywhere around?"

Travis looked behind him and pointed to Meghan. She was bent over a table, flipping through binders and writing notes in pencil. Slipping a stray strand of black hair behind her many piercings on her ear, she crinkled her nose in frustration and began to erase what she had just written down.

Mark shouted for her and waved her over when she looked up at him. She made her way through the sea of passing crew members and said with a smile, "What's up, Mark?"

Looking back into the room, Mark motioned for her to come in and ran a hand through his hair. "Tom's coming down with something. He's gonna skip the meet and greet to take a nap and rest up for the show. Think you can find Steve and let him know?"

Nodding she responded, "Absolutely. Anything else you need?"

Mark hesitated. He hadn't really checked with Tom about it, but knowing that the two of them could not skip out on meeting the fans, he asked Meghan anyways.

"Um, this is kind of a lot to ask, and if you can't it's no big deal, I can totally find someone else, but..." Looking back to Tom starting to doze, he continued, "Do you think it would be possible for you to hang out in here while Tom's sleeping? I feel bad asking because it would be like an hour and a half of you being stuck in here but, with him sick I don't want him to be by himself incase he gets worse."

Mark was nervous asking Meghan. He only met her yesterday, and he didn't want to cause any rumors or stir any suspiscions that Mark cared for Tom anymore than a best friend would care. He wrung his hands waiting for her answer.

"Sure, I don't mind at all! Sitting in a quiet room for over an hour sounds like heaven. Just let me go find Steve, get my things and than I can hunker down in here." Meghan smiled again and closed the door behind her.

Mark walked over to the sleeping boy and crouched down. He placed a hand over Tom's back and rubbed him a little to rouse him.

"Tom? Hey there sleepy head." He smiled as he saw brown eyes flutter under long dark eyelashes. Tom pulled the fuzzy blue blanket up to his chin, sinking deeper into Mark's scent.

"I got ahold of Meghan, she's going to go find Steve and tell him you're going to nap here and while I'm gone-" Mark cut himself off as he saw Tom start to seize up with fear.

He raised himself to sit next to the scared boy and leaned in close, "Hey, relax babe, just listen to what I have to say!"

Mark kissed Tom's temple before continuing. "While I'm at the meet and greet, Meghan's going to stay with you okay? She's got some work to do so she said she didn't mind hanging out here while you rest. Anything goes wrong you have her get me, okay?"

Tom bit his lip. Pulling an arm out from under his blue cocoon, he wiped his nose and nodded.

"You'll be okay. Get some sleep and I'll be back before you know it okay? Lo-" Mark stopped talking.

Holy crap. Was he really about to say the 'L- word '? Mark shook his head and stood up, Meghan walking back into the room and setting her binders and pencils on the table next to the couch.

"Hi Tom! Mark said you're not feeling well. That's no fun." She made a sad face and looked up to Mark. "Steve gave the okay. I'll stay with him here and you are needed down the hall. My assistant Becky is out in the hall. She'll show you where to go for the meet and greet. Tom's in good hands."

Tom pulled the blanket up to his nose, trying to breathe in Mark's scent. He sniffed loudly, causing Mark to look down at him before brushing Tom's hair off his forehead.

"Okay, I'll be back in a little bit. Call me Meghan if he gets worse. My number's in his phone." Mark looked back at Tom and then Meghan again.

"Okay there 'Dad', he'll be okay. Don't look so nervous!" Meghan laughed and sat in the rolly chair and opened up a binder.

Nodding and looking back at the young boy, Mark ran the back of his fingers down Tom's half covered face. He tried to say with his eyes what he felt rumbling around inside him. Tom's blue eyes watering peering into Mark's brown ones, looking so young and innocent.

Mark looked at his watch and sighed. He dropped his fingers and bid the two goodbye.

Meghan waved to Mark and flipped through the laminated pages in her binder, swearing lightly under her breath and erasing her pencil markings.

Tom's eyes fell upon Meghan bent over her binders, hair falling fowards to cover her face. His eyes moved across the room, rustling the blankets as he looked sadly at Mark's bag then back to Meghan.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Meghan could see Tom hesitantly debating something in his mind. Ten minutes passed, Tom's sniffling and sighs getting louder by the moment. Finally Meghan spoke up.

"Is there something I can help you with Tom? Did you need something? Maybe I can find you some DayQuil?" She placed her pencil down and rolled over to the sick guitarist.

A painted finger emerged from the blue blanket, pointing to a backpack next to the refrigerator. Tom lifted his head so his lips were above the blanket and whispered,

"Mark's bag. Piggy. Please."

Meghan looked to where Tom had been pointing and rolled over to Mark's backpack. Unzipping it, she looked back to Tom for confirmation. Tom sucked on his upper lip, his lip ring protruding more than usual and nodded.

Meghan peered inside and saw a pink stuffed pig on top. She assumed this was what Tom was talking about, reached inside to pull it out and held it up to show Tom.

Tom nodded and reached an arm out, opening and closing his hand. Meghan rolled backwards to Tom and held out the toy. Grasping it, and pulling it quickly under the blanket Tom wiggled deeper, sighing contently and letting his eyes flutter closed.

Meghan let a grin fall across her lips as she returned to the desk to finish her work. She was able to get through nearly all the stage plans for upcoming events when there was a knock on the door.

Looking over at the sleeping man, Meghan quickly went to open the door. Becky was outside. She pushed her glasses up before speaking to Meghan, "Um, Mr. Hoppus wanted to know how things were going. I'm not quite sure what that means. Do you?"

Meghan shook her head laughing, "Yes, tell him that everything's dandy. Sleeping like a baby."

Becky nodded, repeating the message to herself before walking back to the meet and greet. Meghan rolled her eyes and went back to the desk, putting the finishing touches on her work.

Twenty minutes later, Mark and Travis walked quietly through the door. Meghan waved silently and picked up her binders getting ready to leave.

Travis went to his bag to pull out his iPod and earbuds, laying on the opposite couch and closed his eyes. He always needed time before a show to go over his set in his mind.

Mark walked over to Meghan, thanked her and asked how things went. "He seemed okay, pretty quiet. It took him 10 minutes to settle in, asked for a toy pig then once he got that he was out like a light! I'm going to go to the infirmary and grab some DayQuil for him though. He didn't want any before, but he'll probably want it before you guys hit the stage."

"Thank you SO much, Meghan. You have no idea how much you helped out tonight. You're amazing." Mark walked over to feel Tom's forehead. He didn't seem any warmer.

Meghan left with her binders, saying she'd be back shortly.

Mark crouched down to Tom and gave him a kiss on the forehead. The sick boy began to stir and rub his head into Mark's blanket.

Looking over to Travis, double checking to make sure he was distracted, Mark gave Tom another kiss on the cheek and whispered, "Tom, I'm back. How are you doing?"

Tom's eyes remained closed.

Tom grumbled, "Shhhhhh. Sleeping."

Mark chuckled and sat on the floor in front of Tom. Checking his watch he saw he had two hours before they were due on stage. He leaned his head back onto the couch and rested his eyes.

Tom snuggled closer to Mark's head and nosed the older man's right ear.

He whispered, "Missed you..." before falling back asleep.

It was Mark's turn to fall asleep wishing for sweet dreams.


	6. Chapter 6

Tom ran off stage, falling slightly into Travis. Travis turned, looking surprised at the contact and quickly looked to Mark, who was right behind the guitarist.

"Tom? You okay there, buddy?" Travis put a hand up to steady Tom.

Tom shook his head wildly from side to side then raised and lowered his shoulders.

"Yea I think so. I just got a little dizzy." Tom wiped the sweat off his face with both hands and wiped them on his jeans.

Mark tugged at his shirt behind his head and pulled it up and over, tossing it into a pile of clothes that he had discarded earlier during the concert.

"Alright then so showers, bus, driving?" Travis asked while making their way through the crowds of crew members to the dressing room, thanking people as they stopped to say congrats on an awesome show.

They knew better than to party after a show when they'd be stuck on a bus for any length of time. Being hungover with only one 2.5'x2.5' bathroom was no ones definition of fun.

Making it back to their room, they opened it to find Steve inside waiting.

"Great show, boys. You have 35 minutes before buses roll out. Roll out, as in you should already be on them, not running to them in 40 minutes." Steve looked at each sweaty band member in their various states of undress.

Steve's eyes scanned Tom, taking in his paled complexion, sniffling and faultering steps as each of the men continued to get undressed, needing and wanting to be rid of the layers of sweat and grime from the stage.

"You okay there, DeLonge? You're not looking so hot." Steve asked Tom.

Standing in just his boxers, Mark looked over at his best friend in the same amount of clothing. He thought he noticed the younger boy's knees shaking.

It is tough to decide when Tom is weak and shaky and when Tom is just Tom; the kid that can't sit still to save his life.

Mark took a step closer to Tom, unsure of how long Tom would be vertical.

Tom couldn't answer verbally, his ability to act normal and unsick as possible, like he had for their fans, no longer possible. Instead he raised a shaky right hand and with fingers extended shook it from side to side, saying so-so.

Steve frowned, "Well, get lots of rest the next couple days while you guys are on the bus. Okay, so remember. 32 minutes now, the buses leave. You're not on them, you get left behind. Got it?"

Steve had moved to the door so he didn't see the look of fear that passed over Tom's face, or the way he fell into Mark, panic setting in at the thought of being alone and his nightmare coming true.

Travis spoke up for all three of them letting Steve know they would be there.

After the door had clicked shut, Travis turned to see Mark cradling Tom in his arms. Concern washed over his face and he moved back to the two huddled men.

He whispered to Mark, "I'm going to go start the showers."

Leaving the two behind, he padded across the room to the door connected to the bathroom.

Mark had caught Tom as he started to buckle at Steve's words. Tom was silent, clinging to the older man. This made Mark slightly nervous.

Tom was someone who always babbled on about how he felt, at least when he was with Mark. Tom had only clung to him and had been silent one other time in his life.

The night Tom's parents fought so loud and hard that divorce was brought up.

-/- Tom had shown up at Mark's house, upset to the point that Tom couldn't remember where the key Mark had hidden for him was placed, so late in the night it was almost dawn.

Mark remembered it had been raining. Hard rain, the kind that made you jump when you'd hear the ocassional shift in the sky and thunder would crackle through your bones.

It made Mark feel on edge, so he had been sitting on his bed, lamp on trying to get some lyrics out on his little dollar store notepad.

Thunder crackled, making young Mark jump and look to the window, positive he had just heard a tree fall against his window. Lightning filled the sky with another crackle and through Mark's window a tall silhouette could be seen.

Now, had Tom not been in tears and on the verge of a breakdown, he would have laughed at the sight of Mark jumping and lunging for Piggy, seeking protection.

Instead, he tapped on the window again, stepping on Mrs. Hoppus's petunias and pressed his sad, soaked face to the glass.

Mark looked again to the window, ready to face his killer and saw it had been replaced by the saddest looking face Mark had ever seen.

Mark got out of bed and rushed to his bedroom door, knowing he had to save Tom from whatever personal torment he had been placed in.

Pulling open the heavy front door, Mark stepped out onto the covered steps and shouted Tom's name. Tom came around the corner, head lowered, hands at his side.

Mark pulled him into a hug, knowing something was terribly wrong. Mark could read it on the teen's face. They stood, on the steps just hugging. Tom silently crying, pressing his hot tears into Mark's neck.

The storm had begun to pass, the first signs of daylight beginning to shine through. Mark pulled Tom back a little, trying to get a good look at him.

Tom's face was red and blotchy, making his acne look worse than usual. His nose was tinged pink and swollen, showing he had been crying for far longer than the amount of time he had been at Mark's window. He was soaked to the bone, short bleached hair had begun to frizz from the rain and shoulders unable to straighten out. Tom was actually shorter than Mark for once.

Tom didn't let Mark look at him for long, shaking his head and leaning into his friend. Still silent.

Mark pulled the mute boy into his arms again for a moment before pulling him into his house and shutting the door. It had taken two hours of coaxing before Tom even said one word sentences to Mark.

Mark's own heart broke a little for that boy that night. -/-

"Hey now, sweetie don't cry. Talk to me, you know I will never leave you behind, Tommy." Mark ran his hand over the back of Tom's sweaty head, pressing little kisses into his salty temple.

Tom sniffled loudly, and opened his mouth to whisper. Mark was shocked Tom had made an attempt to speak, it had only been a couple minutes since the younger man fell silent in his arms.

Mark brushed Tom's bangs off his forehead and looked down at him. He asked Tom to repeat himself, unsure he had heard the guitarist speak at all.

"Baby." Tom said to Mark again, speaking a bit louder, squeezing Mark tighter, "Not sweetie, baby. Is better."

Mark smiled and hugged Tom quickly before releasing him and guiding him to the bathrooms. "You got it, baby."

Opening the door, the steam seeped out and slowly the two men could see Travis in the farthest shower stall. The cream colored tiles covered the entire room, three stalls with water already pouring out of them, and past the showers were the toilets and sinks.

Travis had his head full of shampoo and was using two shampoo bottles as drumsticks, banging his way around his shower.

He stopped mid beat when he saw the two entering. Mark nodded a thanks at Travis then moved to the middle stall with Tom. Travis peaked his foamy head over the top of his stall to peer into Tom's, forgetting about the shampoo until it sloshed into his eyes, causing him to curse and return to his own shower.

Testing the water, Mark looked around and noticed a plastic chair in the corner. Mark leaned Tom against the half walls that separated the showers and moved to get the cherry colored plastic.

Mark hadn't taken two steps when he heard a small whimper escape Tom. The younger man was biting his lip and holding a hand out, blindly reaching for Mark's warm body.

Tom squeezed his eyes shut and a tear slid out from his right eyelid, making its way down his face and joining the other droplets of water from the shower spray.

Mark took the two steps back to Tom and wiped another tear that had managed to escape again, letting his hand slide down Tom's face and neck, over his tattooed arm and rest on his finger tips.

"I want to get that chair over there, so you can sit and I can help you shower. Unless you want to sit on the cold tile." Mark explained while intertwining their fingers.

Tom opened his eyes and looked around for the object the other man had mentioned. Finding it, then locking eyes with Mark, he bit his lip and rolled his lip ring back and forth with his tongue.

Mark, feeling extremely protective of Tom and concerned that there would be no end to this fear took a deep breath.

Kissing the tip of Tom's nose, he whispered, "It's okay, baby."

Brown eyes fluttered with excitement as the shorter man let those words slip out. Tom nodded and let go of Mark.

Returning quickly with the chair, Tom gladly slid onto it and let his head fall back, sighing deeply at the rhythmic beat of the water, blinking up at Mark.

Mark reached up into the spray to let himself warm up. Then, reaching for a washcloth that had neatly been folded into quarters, he ran it under the warm water and rubbed the bar of Irish Spring into it.

Tom sat limp in the chair, letting Mark take care of him. He looked down at Mark as he scrubbed around his drenched boxers, to his legs and down to his toes.

He caught the blue eyes peering into his own, and couldn't even smile as Mark tried tickling his toes.

Mark frowned.

Tom had gone completely numb.

Mark rinsed off his hands and reached for the shampoo bottle. He poured some on his hands and ran his fingers through Tom's tangled hair. The air filled with the scent of lemongrass and citrus .

Mark needed to rinse him off. He ran his hand down Tom's arm and grabbed onto his wrist. Leaning down, he pulled Tom's right arm over his shoulder and wraped his own left arm around Tom's slick middle.

Mark moved slowly and deliberately, afraid to let the younger man slip and get hurt. Half walking, half carrying Tom, he moved under the warm spray.

"Close your eyes." Mark whispered and tilted Tom's head back into the spray. Turning Tom's body, he let go of Tom to help rinse the suds out.

Tom's shoulders softened as Mark raked his fingers through his tangled locks. Tom closed his eyes and began to roll his head into Mark's hands, letting a soft moan escape his lips.

Mark froze, having to bite back his own moan. He moved to stand behind Tom and led him back to the chair, praying he wouldn't turn his head and see what kind of reaction resulted from the younger man's moan.

Mark was starting to get aroused at the sounds that were coming from Tom. Mark bit his lip and checked to see if Travis was looking their way. Unsure of how to proceed, Mark tried to ignore the bulge in his boxers.

"Fuck." He whispered to himself.

Tom's eyes opened at the curse. He began to turn his body in the chair to see what was the matter with Mark.

Mark quickly skirted around Tom, facing the shower head and raised his face to the warm spray. He sighed and rolled his shoulders willing the erection away.

The warm water wasn't helping him at all. Mark opened his mouth to collect some water and spit it out as if he was a cherub fountain.

He was startled when he heard the scraping of the plastic chair on the tile.

Tom had stood and shakily stepped forward and placed his chin on Mark's left shoulder. His forehead became soaked from the water, increasing in heat and making him a little dizzy.

Mark felt Tom's chin leave his shoulder, biting his lip as he thought about how close Tom's nearly naked body had been to his own.

He only turned to look at the younger man when he heard a loud smack and thud of flesh hitting ceramic tile.

Tom had fallen over. Hard. Like 6'4 to the floor hard.

"Fuck! Tom! Fuck fuck fuck!" Mark shouted as he bent down to check Tom's head for blood. Seeing none, he looked up to Travis, who had leapt around the shower dividers and ran to the aid of his two friends.

"I don't know how he fell and didn't get a bump..." Mark mumbled as he felt around Tom's skull and shoulders.

Travis reached up to turn off the water. Shivering, he quickly made his way to a shelf lined with fluffy white towels. He wrapped one around his lower half and brought two back to Mark.

Mark had lifted Tom's head to rest on his thigh. He ran his hands over the cheeks of his faint friend.

"Tom? You okay bab-uh-buddy?" Mark looked up to Travis and took one of the large towels and ran it over Tom's chest and arms.

Travis opened the other towel and placed it over Mark's shoulders, rubbing his back a few times and then kneeled opposite of Mark.

Tom blinked and looked around, completely disoriented. He stared up, his own brown eyes going back and forth between two pairs of blue eyes.

"Marky?"

One pair of blue eyes crinkled as a relieved smile spread and Mark responded to Tom, "Hey, you okay? You took quite the tumble there...How many fingers do you see?"

Mark raised his middle finger at the boy. Tom smirked, sniffled, as if remembering he was sick and answered, "One, asshole."

Travis stood up, happy that Tom was normal again. Mark helped Tom to his feet, throwing an arm around his slippery waist when Tom started to fall again.

"Why the hell didn't you just stay where I put you? You are such high maintainence, Thomas." Mark joked.

Mark helped Tom sit in the chair for the second time and took the towel from around his own body and began to dry Tom's hair and upper body, having wrapped Tom's towel around his back.

With a pout, Tom looked up catching glimpses of Mark's bright eyes from underneath the towel as it flopped around his hair, "I was cold. You had all the water."

Mark moved the towel down Tom's arms, sliding it to his chest and stomach, planting a kiss on his forehead before kneeling and drying off the boy's long legs.

When Mark had finished, he ran the towel over his own body and threw it along with the towel Tom had around his back into a pile along the wall.

Mark pulled at Tom's arms and helped him stand up, throwing Tom's arm over his own shoulder and holding his hand.

Whispering into Tom's ear, he spoke and then gave a small kiss to his neck. "C'mon kiddo, we need to get dressed and get to the bus."

Tom squinted one eye, "Don't call me that. I'm not a kiddo, it makes you a pedophile when you give me kisses..." Tom trailed off, causing Mark to blush.

Walking into the dressing room, Tom got quiet. Travis was at the door taking something from Meghan and chatting quietly.

Tom leaned into Mark and followed the older man's lead.

Mark had begun to shiver. He lowered Tom onto the couch, half covering him with his blue blanket while moving to rummage through his bag for clothes, then going to Tom's napsack to do the same.

Looking over to see if Tom was watching, he dropped his own boxers, damp from the shower and slid on clean, dry ones. He pulled on a pair of navy basketball shorts and a plain, light blue hoodie.

Grabbing the clothes he had gotten for Tom, Mark gulped and squatted in front of him. Taking a peek over his shoulders, Mark turned back to Tom.

"Kay, let's get you changed quickly so we don't miss the bus," seeing Tom's eyes widen at his own words, Mark cursed and apologized.

"I'll stick with you Tommy. If you get left behind, I get left behind. Now, they can't really leave with two-thirds of Blink missing!"

Reaching up and under the blanket, Mark fumbled around looking for the waistband of Tom's boxers. His fingertips danced over Tom's stomach, feeling it clench under his touch.

Brown eyes darted to meet unsure blue ones. Tom sucked in a small amount of air as Mark found the rubber band and started to tug them off.

Tom focused on breathing. In, out. In, out. In, out.

He lifted his hips a little to help Mark slide the boxers off, Mark's knuckles running over the flushed skin, feeling every inch of Tom's soft waist and legs.

Mark's hands were shaking. Reaching for Tom's new blue striped boxers, Mark held them open and guided each ankle into the appropriate leg hole.

Pulling them up should have been easier than pulling them off. Tom still had trouble breathing.

Tom lifted his hips once again and jumped a bit when the band snapped against his skin, looking to Mark who mouthed a 'sorry' with a smile.

A soft cotten grey t-shirt covered Tom's head, vision being cut off until Mark reached up to pull it down, revealing to Tom a tongue sticking out of Mark's mouth.

Tom smiled and sneezed suddenly. Completely caught off guard by the sneeze, he looked to Mark with wide surprised eyes, laughing a little.

Mark wiped the boy's nose with a tissue from the coffee table and tossed it into the trash can before continuing to pull on Tom's shirt.

Discarding the blanket, Mark pulled black sweatpants up Tom's legs and pulled him up to finish dressing him.

Mark let Tom go, shaking his head as Tom fell back down to the couch and curled up with Mark's blanket.

Travis shut the door and tossed a package of NyQuil to Mark. Catching it, he dropped it into his bag. Gathering his items and Tom's, he closed both bags and strapped on his backpack. He slid Tom's bag over his head and one shoulder pulling it across his chest.

Travis had gathered his own items, checking his watch he directed his words to Mark.

"So we've got ten minutes to get to the buses. How's he going to get there? He can barely walk." Nodding to the dozing boy on the couch, he returned his gaze to Mark.

Mark was debating how to get Tom out to the buses as well. He shrugged and bent down to stand Tom up.

Tom's eyes never even opened as he fell back on the couch. Rolling his blue eyes, he pulled Tom up again. This time, however, he tugged on Tom's arm to have the taller boy fall into his body.

Reaching around Tom's floppy frame, he picked the boy up and adjusted him in his arms to support all the weight.

Mark looked to Travis, who had been watching with a small smile. "Dude, can you do something to help? Like instead of watching me carry dead weight? Throw my blanket over him. We don't need everyone and their mom to see Tom like this!"

Tom nuzzled Mark's neck, mouth open, working hard to keep the oxygen flowing. Travis draped Mark's blanket over Tom, covering his head. Travis couldn't see the tiny wet kiss Tom left on Mark's neck.

Mark inhaled quickly when he felt it, face flushed with pure joy.

Tom had never kissed Mark before.

Mark felt over the moon, despite having Tom breathe sickness on him. Mark tucked the blanket around Tom's head, pulling the boy closer to him to keep the blanket from falling away.

Mark nodded a go ahead and followed Travis out the door and to the buses. Hundreds of fans had collected there to wish the boys farewell. Mark pulled Tom closer, picking up the pace a little bit.

Tom's 185 pounds of sniffles and snuggles was starting to take it's toll on Mark's biceps.

Mark wrapped a protective arm around the outside of the blanketed boy as a coughing fit started underneath. He had about another 12 yards before they would reach the safety of the buses. Security lined the last few steps to the bus.

Travis hopped up the bus steps and dumped his bag on the left hand couch, opening up a window to wave to the fans. Mark lay Tom down on his side on the couch, rubbing Tom's back as the coughing fit subsided.

The bus started to move and everyone jolted backwards at the motion. Travis went up front to talk to Walt and find out what the road plan was.

Mark pulled off both Tom's bag and his own and dropped them to the floor beside the couch. Mark pushed the bangs out of Tom's eyes and pulled his blanket over the boy a little more.

"Want some water?" Mark asked.

Tom looked up to Mark, his eyes were starting to water again. He nodded and sniffed before asking, "Do you have Piggy too?"

Mark brought Piggy and a glass of cold water. Travis walked back from speaking with Walt, holding on to the ceiling and sat on the couch opposite Tom. He leaned back and rested his head up against the armrest and crossed his arms. Looking at Mark fussing over Tom made him chuckle.

Mark looked at Travis, blushed and moved to sit where Tom's head was resting. He lifted the boy's head and placed it on his lap, grabbing the remote control for the tv hanging in the corner of the bus, behind the drivers seat.

"I think we still have Mars Attack in. Want to watch it, Trav?" Mark asked the drummer.

"Is sicky still awake over there?" Travis questioned and laughed when he saw the blue blanket wiggle with excitement. "Alright then let's get this over with."

Mark raised his arm to click 'play' on the VCR and dropped the remote on the floor. He tried to avoid Tom's hair, but it was difficult to not twist it between his fingers. It was a comfort thing Mark did for Tom whenever he was sick, and maybe a comfort thing for himself a little too. Mark knew Travis was watching though. He saw the smirk land on his face every once in a while.

They fell asleep all listening to Jack Nicholson's voice trying to bargain with the aliens.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Mark woke up cold the next morning. Cold and stiff. He looked around confused, he was still up front on the couch, with his blue blanket thrown across the bottom of his legs.

Mark looked at the green digital clock on the VCR. It was 6:29. He reached for the remote and turned off the tv and VCR and mumbled, "Too fucking early."

Kicking off his blanket, he went in search of his bandmates. Mainly one brown eyed bandmate. He stumbled past the dinette and pulled open the accordian divider.

Mark lifted his tired arm to open Tom's burgandy curtain when he paused. He took a couple steps backwards and listened for the noise again.

Standing outside the bathroom door, he leaned his left ear closer and held his breath. The awful wretching noise continued, followed by a little sob.

Travis doesn't cry when he pukes his insides out, Tom does. Tom is so easily upset by his own sickness, it doesn't take much to set him off. He especially doesn't enjoy throwing up.

He slowly pushed open the small black bathroom door, only making it about four inches before it gave a thud and stopped opening.

A whimper from inside the small cubicle caused Mark to knit his eyebrows together.

"Tommy? You okay buddy?" Mark tried to press his head through the small opening, feeling the cold laminate dent his cheeks.

He dropped his eyes to see Tom scooch closer to the wall and allow him to open the door another four and half inches.

Mark squatted and reached out to rub Tom's sweatpants clad knee. He maneuvered himself around Tom's spasming body as another wave of nausea hit the boy. When Tom finished his current round of emptying of the insides into the small toilet, he landed in Mark's lap.

"Mark...I think I'm dying, Mark." Tom said seriously.

Mark chuckled, and gave a small hug to the boy. Tom leaned back against the crook of Mark's arm, resting his head under the older man's chin.

"I really think I'm gonna d-" Tom was cut off by another round of vomiting. Mark rubbed his back and whispered soothing words as tears began to leak of out Tom's brown eyes once more.

"That's it baby, let it all out. There ya go, I know, it sucks big time. It's okay baby, you won't die. You just have a little cold, that's all."

Tom groaned and wiped his mouth with toilet paper. Mark reached up to flush the toilet and helped Tom stand up. Leaning him up against the corner wall, Tom let his head fall against the wall and sniffled.

"It burns..." Reaching up to rub his throat, Tom looked at Mark as one tear slipped down his rosy cheek.

Mark sighed and turned on the faucet and felt the cold water splash over his hand. He cupped both hands and let the water fill up. When it reached the brim and began to fall over the edge of his hands, he lifted the water and motioned for Tom to drink.

The sniffling boy pushed off the bathroom wall and took half a step to lean down and slurp a little water, swishing it around in his mouth before spitting it out into the white basin. He rested his shaking arms against the tiny sink.

He took another sip from Mark and swallowed it, enjoying the way the cool liquid soothed his raw acidic throat.

When Tom finished two handfuls of water, Mark dried his left hand on his hoodie and wrapped it around Tom's waist. He asked Tom to lean back over the sink.

Mark took one handful of water and brought it to Tom's mouth, rinsing and wiping away any vomit residue. He ran his hand over Tom's cheeks and forehead, cooling the boy down slightly.

Drying his right hand on the hanging hand towel, Mark pulled it off the hook and patted Tom's face dry.

"Alright hun, let's get you laying down and resting." Mark kissed Tom's forehead and guided him out of the bathroom and to the bunk area.

Mark pulled open his own bunk curtain and lowered Tom onto it. He waited for Tom to scoot close to the wall before letting himself climb in and pull his covers over the two of them.

Tom curled into Mark, mumbling as his eyes grew heavy, "No more frowing up. I don like it." His voice was young, mispronouncing words as he drifted to sleep.

Mark smiled and ran his fingers through Tom's damp hair. His own eyes began to flutter and closed, lips pressed against Tom's temple and fingers still threaded in the boy's hair.


	7. Chapter 7

"You have pretty eyes, Mark." Tom lets go of the eyelid and watches as it slides shut.

Tom runs his finger tips across Mark's forehead and smoothes out the older man's eyebrow before reaching to pull Mark's left eyelid open.

Without opening his eyes, Mark reaches and grabs Tom's wrist, causing a small surprised 'oh!' to leave the guitarist's mouth.

"Are you on something? Why are you prying my eyes open and telling me I'm pretty?" A smile plays on Mark's lips, but still keeps his eyes closed.

Tom pouts and gently headbutts Mark. "I took some DayQuil. I feel a little better. I'm bored though. Can we go watch a movie?"

Mark extracts his arm from the jumble of blankets and gently places the back of his hand against the younger one's forehead.

Tom, waiting for Mark to answer, pushes his friend's hand away and leans closer on his propped elbow.

"Pretty pleasey?" Tom is nudging Marks cheek with his nose.

Mark sighs and agrees, explaining it's only because he doesn't have a fever anymore and he hasn't complained that much about being sick.

Tom gives an excited "Yessssssss!" and kisses Mark on the cheek before hopping over Mark and rummaging in his bunk.

Mark runs the pads of his fingers over the slightly damp spot on his right cheek. Tom kissed him. For the second time in 24 hours.

Maybe Mark's the one that is sick, so sick he's become delusional and can't tell the difference between dreams and reality. Mark rolls out of his bunk and stretches, scratching his chest before he looks at his watch.

9:39 a.m. blinks in green. At least it's a semi decent hour. Rubbing his eyes with a small giddy smile, he opens those dark blues to see Tom bent over into his own bunk.

Tom is pulling at his bed, leaning over, stretching his torso as far as it can go.  
Mark clears his throat uncomfortably, unable to pull his eyes away from the way Tom's grey shirt is riding up his back. Red rolls over his own cheeks as he starts to see the tops of Tom's cheeks peeking out from his black sweatpants.

The brown eyed boy stands, finally having gathered everything and turns around to face his best friend. Tumbling over Tom's arms are his chevron sheet and a dark orange spare blanket Mark had given Tom. Piggy was balanced on top.

"Ready spaghetti?" Tom asks, sniffling only a tad bit.

"You are so freaking cute sometimes."

Tom's eyes widen at Mark's admission.

A sheer layer of sweat quickly covers Mark's flushed face, he bites his bottom lip, unable to believe what just came out of his own mouth.

"I said that out loud, huh."

Tom nods, unsure of what to do. He looks at his friend, tilting his head slightly to the right and twists his toes into the plush carpet.

The blue eyed man runs his hand over his wet face and whispers, "Crap. I thought that stuff only happened in the movies, spilling thoughts and shit."

Tom hears him, hesitant to move, not sure if he was even supposed to hear all that. Disbelief crosses his face as he waits to see what Mark does next.

Mark lifts his hand to take Piggy off the top of the pile of blankets.

He walks up front with the small stuffed toy and sits with it on the couch he woke up on nearly three hours ago.

Tom follows, still carrying the blankets and stands two feet away, just observing.

Mark leans back against the couch, hiding his face in Piggy's belly. Letting Piggy fall into his lap, he runs both hands through his hair, scratching absently and wrinkling his forehead in concentration.

"I don't suppose you could forget I said that until later when I can gather all my thoughts and prepare for that talk we've needed to be having for a few days now?" Mark asks with a hopeful look in his eyes, trying to make his baby blues sparkle.

Mark squints up at his friend as a mischievous look washes over the younger one's face.

"If we can watch 'Alice in Wonderland' I can forget about it 'til later."

Mark smiles back at Tom, "Again? Seriously? We just watched that cartoon like last week."

Tom sets down his blankets next to Mark, picking up Piggy and placed him under his chin. Picking up the blankets again, and shaking them out he looks to his older friend and says, "So if you don't want to watch it, we can talk about why you give me kisses all the time, and why you thought I was cute, and why you are pretty much drooling when ever my sexy body walks by..."

Tom giggles and looks to Mark, who stands up quickly and pulls out a drawer under the opposite couch. He pulls out the Disney VHS and pushes it into the VCR.

Tom fixes the blanket and sheet so they are layered and nuzzles Piggy, still standing and waiting for Mark to stretch out. Mark moves back to the couch and lays down, leaving one leg hanging off the edge of the couch, waiting for Tom to melt into him.

Tom sits in between Mark's legs, his toes reaching beyond his friend's. Lifting the blankets, he lets them fall over the two of them, wiggling his toes until the blanket is tucked under them and he is leaning back into Mark's chest.

Tom sighs, very pleased with himself, and scoots into Mark until the blue eyed man wraps one arm around Tom's chest and presses play with his other hand.

Mark lets the remote drop to the floor with a soft thud, and picks up a tuft of hair on Tom's head, twirling it between his fingers.

Tom laces his fingers with Mark's free hand as the previews begin to show on the television.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
Two days later, the bus shudders, barely disturbing the three men in their sleep.

Tom rolled from one side of his bunk to the other, brushing up against the heavy curtain. He presses his face up against it and wiggles to poke his head out.

Pitch black engulfed the bunk area. Tom sighed, turned back over and snuggled up with Piggy.

Tom's cold mostly went away, he just had a lingering sniffle that would come back to visit him during the night. Convinced he was doing better and afraid to become a bother to Mark, he had insisted on sleeping by himself last night.

Which turned into Tom not sleeping much at all, but was going to keep that part to himself.

Mark was only three feet away, sleeping soundly in his own bunk. He could handle being three feet away, couldn't he?

He took a deep breath and kicked off his blankets. Pulling back the curtain, he rolled out of the bunk, letting his bare feet softly touch the ground.

He held Piggy under his right arm, reaching out with his left to let it run lightly over Mark's curtain as he tiptoed past. Not a sound came from the other side.

Walking slowly to the front, he let Piggy pounce around on the dinette table and over the bench seat to the couch.

Tucking his legs under his bottom, he sat sideways on the couch letting Piggy sit on the back of the black leather near the window. He leaned to the left, letting his chin rest on the back of the couch next to Piggy.

He began to talk to the small stuffed toy, the two watching as the bus pulled off the highway. Street lamps gave brief flashes of light in the darkness of the bus lounge.

"Well Piggy, I haven't had a nightmare in four nights. That's a good sign. Maybe it's gone away..." He hesitates.

"But who am I kidding, Mark hasn't left my side in days. I hope when I sleep in my own room tonight I'll be okay. No," he shakes his head, wrapping an arm around Piggy and pressing the plush toy into his left cheek, "I will be fine. I can do this. Put your big boy pants on, DeLonge."

The bus turned right and pulled into a hotel parking lot. The bright 'Courtyard Marriot' sign was visible to everyone within a three mile radius.

Lights in the bus flickered on, Tom turned to pull his knees up leaning back against the leather and waited for his friends to rise.

Travis stumbled out first, cursing the early hour and fell across from Tom onto the couch. "Whose bright idea was it to arrive at the hotel at three-fucking-a.m.? I want to beat them senseless with my drumsticks." He moans as he reaches to the floor to place a baseball cap backwards on his shorn head.

Tom's trying to be patient. Running his top teeth over his lip ring, he begins to wiggle his toes. The wiggling turns to bouncing as it crawls up his legs and into his hands. His fingertips start to rap in a pattern that makes Travis look over to him and raise an eyebrow.

The brown eyed guitarist doesn't stop, he's too preoccupied with gazing into the bunk area, willing Mark awake with his warm eyes.

"Tom." The rapping of Tom's fingers stop mid beat, brown eyes scanning over to meet Travis's bright blues.

"Go get him up before I end up taking my anger at being awake now out on you. Mark would be pretty upset at me if you ended up with welts from my sticks on you. Go."

Travis twists the drumsticks he's picked up from in between the couch cushions, gripping them so tightly Tom can hear the roughness of the callouses running over the glossy wood.

Tom slowly turns, picking up Piggy from his perch by the window and slowly stands up, backing away from Travis as if he's a wild animal.

Tom only turns when he crosses the threshold to the bunk area, sucking in his lip ring and running his fingertips over Piggy's short ears.

Whispering Mark's name outside the curtain, Tom waits to see if he hears anything. He stays silent for a moment more before whispering his name harsher and peeling the burgundy curtain back slowly.

Waking up to Tom's voice, Mark whips open the curtain, startling Tom and causing his to drop the precious toy.

"What? What is it? Are you alright? Did you have another nightmare? Are you okay?" Mark sits up in a panic, forgetting how low the ceiling is in his bunk and whacks his temple against it.

Tom makes a pained face as he watches Mark rub his head and swallows before answering. "Um, no I'm fine. No nightmares. We're at the hotel, Travis told me to come wake you before he beat me with his drumsticks."

Stretching out his legs, Mark stands up and rubs the back of his head, nodding as he soaks up Tom's words. He stops and squints at the younger man with both eyes.

"Wait, what? He threatened to beat you?" Mark peers up into Tom's eyes, raising one eyebrow, waiting for a response.

Tom smirked and picked up Piggy as he said, "Yea, he's not too happy to be awake now. It's three in the morning."

Smiling at his friend, Mark ruffles his hair before moving past Tom to wait for instructions from Steve. Collapsing onto the couch Tom had previously occupied, he makes small talk with the drummer.

Tom walks back up to the front and leans his weight on his left foot, shuffling his right, sockless foot.

Moments later, Steve boards the bus. Having just woken up himself, he's looking exhausted as well.

"Alright boys, we'll meet for breakfast at 8:30. We are in Columbus, Ohio. That's all you need to know right now."

Passing out the keys, Steve continues, "The place is dead, even the clerk at the counter was sleeping. Here are your room keys. I suggest you just come in what you're wearing now, sleep as long as you can."

He handed each man their key and left them to follow into the hotel.

Travis stepped off the bus first, followed by Mark then Tom. Tom had to pick up his pace to keep up with his friends.

Filing into the elevator, the boys rode to the third floor, simply too exhausted to bother with the stairs.

Travis mumbles a goodnight and locks himself in his hotel room across the hall from Mark  
and Tom.

Mark yawns as he places his key card into the slot and pushes down on the handle of his  
door, opening it about two inches before looking over to his left to watch Tom.

The younger man is attempting to unlock his door, cursing as his hand starts to shake and drops his plastic key card.

Yawning again, Mark asks the brown eyed boy, "You sure you want to do this Tom? I don't mind if you stay in my room."

Tom shakes his head and finally opens his door. "No, I can do this. The nights practically over..." he hesitates, "um, you're not going anywhere right? Just incase, you know, I um, need you." Tom quickly asks turning a little crimson.

Mark smiles before stepping close to Tom, giving him a light kiss on the cheek before answering, "Just a wall away! Seriously, get me if you need me."

Tom nods before entering his room and closing the door behind him, groaning softly as he locks himself in. Mark does the same and closes his eyes before he reaches the bed. Pulling down the layered blankets, he climbs in the bed, still acting as a blind man, feeling his way around and settling down for another five hours of sleep.

Tom took a longer time getting into bed, feeling like he was forgetting something. Unceremoniously pulling down the sheets, he begins to climb in and cover himself when it dawns on him what he has forgotten.

His mouth formed a quivering "O", before mouthing the word 'Piggy'.

Tom throws the blankets off and falls to the floor, racing around on his hands and knees moving with no purpose.

He begins to sweat, tries to stand and falls back on his rear. Tom pushes himself up against a wall next to the large looming bed.

"Fuck." He slams his head back against the wall, eyes welling and burning with panicked tears. Covering his warm face with shaking hands, he curses, slamming his head into the wall, ignoring the dull pain.

Wet tracks appear on his cheeks, tears flowing freely as he slows the thumping of his head. There's no point in wiping away the shameless tears, he's by himself.

Completely by himself.

He thought he could manage the five hours without help so long as he had Piggy.  
Forehead creasing, he's racking his brain for where the beloved toy could have possibly been left behind. One deep breath after another, he tries to calm himself. Tom squeezes his eyes shut, he gives one final slam into the wall, letting the hot tears continue.

All that can be heard is the quickening of air being pushed out of lungs at an increasingly alarming rate. Hands are shaking, running back and forth from dark brown hair to a sweat slickened neck.

Tom's having a panic attack. He knows it, he's looking to the ceiling asking the almighty aliens from above to help him somehow.

There's a crack in the popcorn ceiling, right in the middle, and he's staring at it. Deep brown eyes are filling with water, causing the crack to grow and bend.

Pulling his bare knees to his damp chest, he wraps his arms around his legs. Unconsciously rocking, he is so wrapped up in his own present situation he misses the first set of knocks at his hotel door.

The knocking happens again, harder, more aggressive. Tom freezes, realizes what the noise is and desperate for companionship he crawls across the floor, knees getting slightly rug burned on the taupe carpet.

Reaching for the handle while still on the floor, Tom pulls himself up, unlocking the deadbolt and frantically wiping away his tears.

Tom yanks open the door only to have it be stopped short by the golden bar lock on the door. He whimpers, cursing silently, his throat having gone dry restricts the noises he can make.

Fumbling with the door for a second more, he rips the door open. Standing there looking concerned, is a calm Mark.

Tom glows red, knowing how he must look. Greasy hair sticking out in all directions, eyes bloodshot and puffy, cheeks flushed and quivering.

His mouth is moving but no words come out. His eyes are trained on Mark's bare feet, noticing how they move slightly as Mark moves to lean on the doorway, crossing his legs leaning on one foot.

Tom bites his lip ring, resisting the urge to fall into the older man's safe, strong arms.

"I heard you swearing and a loud thumping. What were you doing to the wall? Kicking it or whacking your head on it? I waited to see if you were going to come get me like I told you to, but you didn't so I thought I'd check on you." Mark is talking softly, not wanting to upset the boy in front of him further.

Tom chances flicking his eyes up to see Mark's deep blue ones. He reaches his black nail polished hand up to smooth out his hair, becoming self conscious with his appearance.

Tom stutters, clearing his throat, "I....I...I left Piggy somewhere. He m-m-must be on the b-b-bus still... I needed him to s-s-sleep. I'll be ok-k-kay though."

Tom begins to shut the door, frowning when Mark's calloused hand wedges itself between the frame and door.

"Don't be rediculous Tom. Let me in. You're never going to get any sleep if you don't. You're just getting over being sick, let me help," The older man pauses noticing Tom's hands shaking as he raises them to wipes at his dark circles.

Before Mark knows what he's doing, he's reaching a steady hand out to gently rub some salty droplets off his chin.

"Guess what, you don't really get a say because I feel like staying in this room tonight. You have a bigger room and that's not fair."

Pushing with barely any resistance from the younger one, Mark slides past Tom and moves to the bed with ease. Tom sniffles a 'post-cry' sniffle, and watches his friend.

Mark throws himself in the middle of the bed, spread eagle face down, fingers and toes dangling off the edges on both sides.

Taking a final swipe at his eyes, Tom closes the door and pads across the floor. Pausing at the foot of the bed, he hesitates.

Sensing Tom has stopped moving, Mark raises his head and turns it to look behind him. He rolls over and faces Tom, tossing a few extra pillows from the bed on to the floor.

Tom looks at them and drops to the floor, curling into the pillows.

"Thomas."

The younger man raises his chin slightly to see Mark peering over the edge of the bed with widened eyes and a surprised look.

"What the fuck do you think your doing, Tom!?"

Tom almost chuckles as he answers obviously, "Uh, trying to sleep. What are you doing?"

Mark answers Tom without missing a beat, "Wondering why the hell my best friend is such a thick headed dumbass."

Tom frowns and hugs his pillow tighter.

"Why are you down there."

"I don't want to be a bother, and you threw me some pillows."

Tom is confused at Mark's confusion.

Mark rolls his eyes and tells Tom to get his mopey ass in the bed.

"There were just too many freaking pillows up here. I want you up here, you're not a damn dog."

Sitting up, Tom still hesitates getting any closer. Mark is only wearing loose fitting navy knit pajama pants. Tom's got his pink panda boxers and black tank top on.

"Now!" Mark raises his voice, "Get up here now, babe!"

Tom bites his lip ring and smiles, only a tiny bit though and climbs in under the blankets Mark has raised for him.

Mark wraps his arms around Tom's now cold body. Rubbing the younger boy's inked arm, Mark bites his lip as his energy drains and sleep catches up to him.

His lips are against Tom's temple, Tom already fast asleep and cheek resting on Mark's bare chest.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Morning comes too quickly and the day moves on just as fast.

Soon they are showering and back on the bus for another ride to another city, for another show.

It's late, closing in on one in the morning and propped up against Mark is Tom. Mark lifts one thigh to unstick it from the leather couch. Tom's eyes are closed and Mark is watching his chest rise and fall, evening out to a rhythmic beat.

Travis is scavenging in the cabinets for something to snack on and talking to a few friends from back home that are visiting him. He pulls out the Skittles Mark bought a few nights ago.

Seeing the red bag makes Mark smile, but then frowns watching as one friend of Travis search through the bag for the orange ones. Tom's orange Skittles. He looks down at his sleeping friend.

Mark's having a difficult time keeping his hands and lips to himself. Resting his head against the top of the couch, he spaces out staring at the ceiling.

His bus has sparkles on the ceiling. Mumbling to himself he says, "Who the hell ordered a bus with sparkly ceilings..."

Travis's friend Ray interrupts his thoughts. Unsure of what the bleached blonde man asked, he struggles to find something to say.

Ray repeats himself, "What the hell is up with your bro there. He's all over you."

Mark begins to laugh it off, trying to find a good way of explaining his and Tom's relationship.

Travis, knowing there's no easy way to explain it to an outsider, gives it a valient try. "Mark's like Tom's big brother. You met Tom; he's a giant kid. I mean shit, he's already asleep."

Tom shifts in his sleep at the mention of his name, falling forwards a bit. When he nuzzles Mark in his sleep, the older man has to close his eyes and bite back a moan of pleasure.

Tom's rubbing up against his nipple piercing. His nipples were extremely sensitive before he got the right one pierced. Now, it's even more so.

Excusing himself from the group of men up front for the night, he pulls Tom up to his feet and turns him, guiding the sleep walking man to the bunk area.

Turning around to close the accordian door, Mark legs go of the sleeping one's shoulders. Tom waits where Mark leaves him, wobbling slightly in his drowsy state.

Mark hesitates when he turns back around, tilting his head, thinking. Raising his fingers to his mouth, he bites the nails on his left hand.

"Tom? Tommy. Where do you want to sleep?"

Mark waits a moment before hearing Tom respond, mumbling his answer.

"Inna bed."

Mark let's a sleepy smile graze his lips before running his fingers through his short hair and watches the brown eyes flitter on his friend.

"No shit Sherlock-" Before Mark can continue Tom is cutting him off and Mark's surprised.

Turning to face Mark, Tom raises one painted finger in exclamation and says, "Keep digging Watson!" before falling into Mark's bunk giggling.

Mark's shaking his head, laughing quietly at his friend. Pushing him over, Mark sits next to Tom and stretches out his legs so they lay straight, toes pointing to the ceiling.

His left arm is crossed over his stomach and his other is propping his head up next to Tom's on the pillow.

Neither boy moves closer to the other. Blue eyes stare at the carpeted ceiling in his bunk, not daring to look at the brown eyes he can feel staring him down. Daring him to look back, Mark tries to resist.

Tom is still staring at his older friend. Biting his lower lip, he leans forwards until his nose is smooshed against Mark's cheek.

"Maaaaaark!" Tom draws out the vowel in Mark's name and pushes harder against the bassist until he feels the smooth skin shift slightly, blue eyes sifting through dark lashes.

"Hi, Mark."

With a serious look Mark makes Tom giggle again. His lips are twitching, dying to smile but unable to give in to the sweet smiling boy next to him.

"If you say I have pretty eyes again, Tom, I'm gonna have to start questioning your sexuality."

Tom closes his eyes, taking a deep breath and reveals his warm brown eyes to his friend's blues. "You have pretty eyes, Mark. I think we need to talk."

Shit. Since when did Tom become so mentally stable? Maybe that whole sleeping on Mark's shoulder was a ploy to get him alone in a private area.

Mark's hand grabs his own tshirt, twisting the orange material with white letters, causing it to look more like a melted creamsicle than a shirt. He staring at the charcoal carpet on his ceiling.

Mark feels the prickling of sweat on the back of his neck, and he's not sure how to begin.

"Start small." He whispers to himself. Turning, ready to let Tom know that he knows he cares deeply for the younger one, he smiles.

Tom is fast asleep.

It's only then he feels warm fingers on the hem of his twisted shirt. Tom is taking slow deep breaths, mouth parted slightly, lip ring moving every so often.

Mark pulls his arm down to wrap it around the sleeping boy. He closes his own eyes, pulls Tom tighter against himself and kisses his forehead.

"Tom?" He tests to make sure he's really sleeping, "Tom aliens aren't real, they're a hoax set up by the state of New Mexico to drive up the tourism economy."

Getting no response, he smiles against Tom's forehead. "I love you, Tom DeLonge. Someday I'll tell you when you're awake baby."


	8. Chapter 8

"What is wrong with you? Why can't you do it? It's so fucking easy."

Tom runs his hands over his face and looks up at Travis from his splayed spot on the concrete floor.

Travis tries again, positioning his left foot a centimeter back on the tail of the skateboard. He balances his body by raising both arms. Pushing all his weight on his non dominant leg, the nose lifts up.

Shaking his head, he grabs the nose of the skateboard and repositions his left foot on the grip tape. Travis looks up at Tom for approval.

Propped up on his forearms, the brown eyed boy is watching Mark do laps around the arena floor on his bike.

A small smile appears on his lips as he sees Mark narrowly miss hitting a stage crew member.

"TOM!"

Tom turns his head rapidly, knocking hair in his eyes to look at Travis. Travis holds out his arms and raises them, asking for guidance.

Tom looks at the drummer's feet and says, "Yeah man, you've got this part right, but you always fuck up on the second part."

Travis tries to jump, making the skateboard move with him until it keeps moving too far and he's fallen to the floor.

Tom shakes his head, stands and goes to grab the now flipped board off the ground a few feet away.

Travis rolls to his back and kicks his feet on the floor, having a frustrated tantrum.

"I'll show you again. It's not that hard to ollie, you're just not rolling your right foot hard enough."

Travis argues back, quietly but frustrated, "I am rolling my foot right, you're just not giving me any good advice on how to improve! I'm tired of watching you ollie, its just not working!" Travis sighs, and takes a deep breath.

Tom aligns his foot on the grip tape and positions his right foot up closer to where the front truck bolts are.

With ease, Tom performs the ollie talking Travis through it again. "See? Rooooll. You have to roll your foot otherwise it doesn't stick to your feet!"

Sitting back down on the floor, Tom gives the skateboard a push so it rolls to Travis's feet.

"C'mon Trav, my kid sister could do this when she was nine." Tom leans back on the palm of his hands and looks around for Mark.

Mark is standing up on the bike pedals trying to spin the bike around. Mark leans too far to his right and begins to tip and lands on the ground with a loud 'umpf' and bumps his chin.

Tom waits to see if he's okay, watching as he stands and kicks the bike, then hops up and down on his other foot, grasping the foot he kicked the bike with.

The brown eyed boy breaks out laughing, clutching his sides and squeezing his eyes shut as giggles explode out of him.

Travis, who at that same moment fell after trying the trick again, frowns at Tom. He glares at the laughing boy and looks around out of anger and sets his blue eyes on an unopened bottle of water.

Travis stomps over to the plastic bottle, and returns as he unscrews the cap. He smiles as he turns the now opened bottle over above Tom's body, squeezing the plastic so water comes out faster and drenches his bandmate from head to toe.

Tom is shocked out of his laughter by the ice cold liquid and screams a blood curdling noise, stopping everyone in the arena in their tracks.

The drenched boy stands up, looks at himself then to the empty bottle in Travis's hands, in shock.

"What the fuck is wrong with you Travis?!" Tom is trying to pull the sopping wet clothing away from his cooling body as he questions his friend exasperatedly.

"Don't laugh at me next time. Simple as that." Travis says with a small giggle.

Seeing Tom from across the arena looking upset, but not being able to make out what he was saying, Mark picks up his bike and pedals quickly to his friend's side.

Tom keeps looking down at his clothes and up to Travis's smiling face going back and forth when Mark gets near.

Tom pulls off his dripping hat and throws it at Travis.

"I wasn't laughing at you dickface, I was laughing at Mark's pathetic attempt at a 360, which you failed horribly at mind you."

Turning to face Mark as he directs his words at him, Tom frowns dramatically and stomps his foot, creating a slight squishing sound.

"Mark!" Tom begins to whine, "He poured water on me!"

Mark looks at the wet boy. Water was dripping off his bangs and into his eyes. He had one arm pointing to the laughing drummer and used the back of his other hand to wipe the water out of his eyes.

His shirt and pants are clinging to him, showing off strong legs and the tiniest bit of a belly. He stomps his black Vans again, and the wet squish noise it makes is too much for Mark to handle.

Covering his mouth and leaning back, Mark lets out a large jolly laugh and steals a glance at Travis and then over to Tom again.

"You...you look like a drowned rat!" Pointing at Tom, Mark leans forward and hits his knee, getting a kick out of the situation.

Tom's face burns bright red and a pout crawls upon his face.

"Screw you." He says before walking away.

Still laughing with Mark, Travis calls out after Tom, "Where you going? Mark's over here, you can't leave his side! You'll end up crying like a baby!"

Mark stops laughing at Travis's comment and quickly sobers as he looks at Tom's body, now running away, hesitating before leaving the large auditorium.

Travis stops his laughing as well, realizing exactly what he said and the effect it would have upon his slightly younger, vulnerable friend.

"Trav, man, that was too much. Not cool dude." Mark admonished as he took off in a run to find Tom.

As bad as Travis's words were, he knew they were true. Mark needed to find Tom, and fast.

Travis threw his skateboard in anger, cursing at his own stupidity and semi-shouted after Mark, "Tell him I'm so fucking sorry!"

Not turning around, Mark raised his right arm in a half wave to acknowledge the drummer's words.

Reaching the large doorway Tom had run to, Mark looked both ways trying to figure out where his upset friend could have gone.

"Fuck, c'mon Tommy, where would you go, where would you go..." He repeated to himself.

Choosing the left hallway, Mark briskly walked through it, looking around for signs that Tom had been this way.

Looking at doorway after doorway, Mark stopped when he passed a sign that noted a stairwell.

Tom said he loved the way they echoed, yet could be such a peaceful hideout. Mark recalled a much younger Tom telling a much younger Mark he used them on many occasions at his old highschool when he'd skip out on class.

Taking a chance, Mark pushed the heavy metal door.

Mark didn't even have to call out Tom's name to know he was there. He recognized the hiccup sobbing quite clearly and softly walked around the start of the staircase to the small alcove where the noise was coming from.

Mark gave a relieved sigh and crouched down near the sobbing boy.

Tom looked up when he heard movement close to him, making Mark suck in a sharp breath, wanting to kiss every salty teardrop off Tom's flushed cheeks and chin.

Tom was shivering, knees pulled into his chest and long drenched arms wrapped around, making him appear much smaller than his 6'2 frame should have been.

Tom's eyes changed from alarm to relief when he registered who had found him.

"I...I...I thought you w-were a giant rat coming to eat me." Tom stuttered.

"Come here, baby."

Mark held out his arms with a chuckle at Tom's surprised remark. Tom crawled forward to close the distance between himself and the warmth of his salvation.

"Mark he was so mean. I've never had Travis be mean before...I can handle the water, messing with each other...but what he said, I just..." Tom babbled, pressing his damp head into Mark's chest.

Mark could feel the wetness soaking into his own clothes, but pulled Tom in closer anyways.

"Shhh," Mark hushed his sobbing friend, "He was just trying to joke with you, he took it too far though. He's so upset with how he acted, he's very sorry, baby."

"But he was right! I do cry like a baby when I'm not near you...it's just, you make me feel so safe, Mark. I don't know how to describe it, you chase away the nightmares and j-j-just make me feel so safe." Tom repeated himself, digging his long fingers into Mark's upper arms.

Mark rubbed Tom's back as he heard the cold boy's teeth begin to chatter. Knowing he really needed to share his thoughts on the younger boy, he swallowed thickly and tried to get his message across to Tom.

"Don't get yourself all worked up over this Tom, it was just a joke that went too far and you know what? I love having you around me, you're a very special friend to me. Much more than a best friend. You, you're more than a best friend."

Mark closed his eyes, unsure of how Tom would respond to his admission. He was a little vague about it in hopes that depending on how Tom reacted to it, he could play it off as a joke if it was a sour reaction.

Mark was unprepared for exactly how Tom would react to it.

He was unprepared for feeling cold shaking lips pressing into his own warm ones.

He was unprepared for how soft Tom's bottom lip was and how small his upper lip felt against Mark's own.

He was unprepared for how much he enjoyed feeling the cold metal lip ring press into his lips, feeling how quickly it warmed up.

He was also unprepared for Travis opening the stairwell door and calling out their names.

The garbled "yes!?" that came out of his mouth, the mouth that was just pressed up against his best friend's, also surprised him.

He unconsciously pushed Tom away slightly, jumping at the possibility of being caught by their bandmate.

He barely recognized his own scratchy voice, telling Travis to give Tom a couple minutes to calm down.

They both listened for the quiet click of the latch, signaling the door had shut.

Mark began first, apologizing for pushing Tom away.

Tom's brown eyes were wide, completely in shock over what he just initiated.

His bottom lip quivered, looking at Mark with new tears in his eyes.

"Oh, my. Oh my God! Mark, I...fuck, I can't, I'm so sorry. Oh my God. Please, please don't be upset at me. I can't deal with having you mad at me, having you leave me!" Tom reached out to Mark, rising up to his knees, then pulled back as he continued to babble on.

"Please, Mark, forget about it. Please! I need you to forget I fucked up, I can't ruin us, you're my best fucking friend in the whole wide universe! I need you, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

Tom brought his hands to his mouth grabbing at his teeth before bringing them down to twist into his shirt, causing two little puddles to form beneath him.

Mark just shook his head and reached out to pull the panicking boy into him.

"Tom, stop twisting your shirt. You're going to mess up your fingers like last time. Tom?" Mark paused, waiting for the younger boy to look up at him from where he had been pressed up against Mark's chest in a hug.

"Tom, I liked that. I don't want to forget it."

Feeling his own pulse quicken, the butterflies went rampant in his stomach. Mark waited for what seemed like ages for Tom to give him some sort of hint as to how he felt about it.

"You did? You don't hate me? I don't, I'm not sure what to say." Tom blushed and looked down at his fingers, moving them from his shirt up to run two fingers over his lips.

"Um, well I'm not positive, but when this happens between me and a girl, the girl usually let's me know how the kiss was." Mark waited for Tom to stop staring at the ground and looked up into Mark's eyes.

"Amazing." Tom gasped before continuing, "I'm sorry!"

Tom began to apologize, causing a confused look to appear on Mark's happy face.

The brown eyed boy bit his lip before continuing, "Was that too sappy? I've never been kissed by a boy before. I don't know how this stuff works."

Mark nodded and rubbed a shaky hand over his eyebrows.

Both men froze as they heard the heavy door opening again.

"Mark?" Travis's small voice could be heard. Mark responded to him and the drummer continued, "Has he calmed down? I was hoping to talk to him."

Mark looked down at Tom and saw the hesitation in his eyes.

"Yeah maybe later, Trav? I don't think he's mad at you but he's still drenched. He needs to get changed and then maybe you two can talk."

Travis gave a sad "Okay..." before shutting the door and making his way back to the arena and his skateboard.

Mark looked down at Tom, sensing something changed as he watched fear cross Tom's blotchy face.

"Not without you. I can't be without you right now, I need you to keep me calm..." Tom whispered while wrapping his arms around to Mark's back, making the back of the bassist's shirt wet as well from Tom's long sleeves.

Mark pressed a kiss into Tom's forehead before whispering back, "Don't worry. I'm here baby. And for the record, I've got no fucking clue how this works either."

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Mark waited till Tom had calmed down before leaving the stairwell. Tom was even hesitant then, clinging to the older man's hand as Mark convinced him.

Tom's lips had started to go blue and Mark ended up bribing him.

-/- "C'mon Tom, what will it take? Candy? You want some Skittles? I'll pick out all the orange ones for you!" Mark hugged him close, feeling him shake his head in disagreement.

"No? Okay..." He thought about it a minute. He wanted to promise him something that he could actually follow through with.

Couldn't go to Area 51, they were in the middle of a tour. He already had plenty of guitars and skateboards, it wouldn't be special enough to promise him another one.

An idea popped in his head, he wasn't sure if Tom would go for it, but considering how clingy Tom was being maybe it would help put his mind at ease, make him feel closer to his friend.

"Would you maybe like to wear my clothes? You know, change out of this wet stuff and have me all around you?"

Tom looked up from where he had dug his face into, brown eyes wide and childlike. He nodded slowly and deliberately.

"Yes please, I'd like that very much."

Mark smiled and commented, "Well, aren't you just the politest young man ever!"

Tom blushed and hid his face in Mark's chest again. -/-

"Tom, we're just going down the hall to the dressing room! You don't need to freak, I'm staying with you the entire time."

Mark tried prying his hand away from the younger one's tight grip. Finally freeing himself, he smiled and squeezed Tom's shoulder.

"I'll race you there!" Mark said before clenching his hands into fists and raising them, ready to take off.

Tom lit up at the challenge and turned over his shoulder to shout, "You're on!" already having taken off. He suddenly slowed when he realized he didn't know where in the arena he was.

Mark flew past him dramatically, causing them to bump shoulders.

"Hey! No fair! I don't know where to go! Aw, Mark you cheated!" Tom pouted but continued to follow his friend.

Once they reached the room, Mark peeled off his own shirt and began to dig through Tom's bag.

Tom walked up behind Mark's shirtless body and leaned over him to watch what he was doing.

Mark stood up, not knowing the taller man was looming over him. He only figured it out when he felt a boney chin possibly dent the top of his skull.

Tom grabbed his chin, squeezing his eyes shut and hopping up and down in circles.

Mark's mouth dropped open, sure he had cracked Tom's jaw or something else important.

"Fuck, baby you okay? Are you bleeding? Crap, you didn't bite your tongue off did you?"

Tom peeled open his eyes, wrinkling his nose and nodded at Mark.

Mark's dark blue eyes widened, causing creases to appear in his forehead.

"Oh my fucking Lord! You bit off your tongue?! Fuck where is it, maybe we can get you to a hospital fast and they can sew it on? Let's go!" Mark panicked and grabbed Tom's bent elbow and pulled him to the door.

Mark continued, "And then they can give you one of those emergency blankets that reflects heat because you've probably got hypothermia!"

Mark stopped leading the brown eyed man to the door when he heard a small giggle.

Turning to Tom, the concerned man raised one eyebrow and waited for an explanation.

Tom removed his hand, uncovering his mouth. He stuck his tongue out of his mouth and wiggled it back and forth.

"I was saying yes to you asking me if I was okay. I'm not bleeding and I'm not de-tongued by you either. You have a really hard head, you know that?!" Tom rubbed his chin as he explained.

Mark physically slumped as he comprehended what Tom was telling him.

He lifted a hand to inspect Tom's chin, not completely sure the younger boy was unhurt.

"What were you doing above me anyways?"

Tom lowered his eyes and shuffled a sneaker covered foot, suddenly becoming bashful. "Um, I thought I was going to wear your clothes, you were in my bag though...I just, I just thought I...nevermind. Maybe I heard you wrong before."

Tom's fingers pull on his long sleeves and he begins to thumb the fabric, twisting it and stretching it out. He tries to stop a shiver that makes his entire body shudder.

Mark ruffles Tom's hair and pulls Tom's red Hurley t-shirt over his own head and reaches back into the younger man's bag to also remove a black zip up. He leaves it unzipped, scratching at some undicernable stain.

Sniffing at his fingertip, he flicks a piece of crusted syrup off and looks up to see Tom shivering.

"Alright, you want to hop in the shower and warm up or..." Mark stopped talking when he noticed Tom wrap his arms around himself, look to the ground and suck in his bottom lip, hiding the lip ring from Mark's view.

Reading Tom's body language, Mark stepped closer to the shivering boy and placed a hand under his chin to raise it.

"No shower? How're you supposed to get warm? You're practically a popsicle."

The shivering man shudders and shrugs, watching as Mark sighs and walks to his own napsack.

Mark digs deep into the bag, past his notebook and lays out a pair of baggy dark blue jeans, black boxers, white thermal shirt and a light blue tshirt with a Nintendo logo on it.

Mark stands back up and beckons Tom with his hand.

Tom's hair is beginning to curl and frizz.

Mark helps him out of his wet shirt and jeans, turning around to give the younger man some privacy when he needed to change his boxers.

Tom finishes dressing, wrapping his arms around himself, this time taking a deep breath. He smiles as he breathes in Mark's sweet scent.

Tom looks up to see Mark watching him.

"What?" Tom asks, running his hands through his hair and wiping at his nose.

"Nothing, you're just being cute." Mark moves to sit on the couch and turns on the TV. Flipping through channels, he settles on 'The Fresh Prince of Bel Air'.

Feeling the hot flush that crept up on him dissipate, Tom walks over to Mark and pulls a green fleece blanket out from behind his head.

Wrapping it around himself he curls up next to Mark, chuckling as Will Smith's character, named after himself, plays a prank on his cousin, Carlton.

Mark opens his left arm, waiting for Tom to snuggle into his side. Tom doesn't disappoint, tucking his head into the crook of the older man's arm.

Mark turns the volume down then looks over at Tom.

"You ready to finish having that talk?" Mark, again being vague, in the hopes that he can procrastinate a bit more.

Tom nods and bites his lip ring, pulling it too hard and wincing at the tug. His fingers are already moving to the bottom of Mark's tshirt that he's wearing.

Mark's eyes drift to the corner of the ceiling before making their way back down to unsure eyes. He stares into the warm brown color before biting the inside of his cheek and taking a breath in.

"So, I guess you kind of know why I give you kisses a lot. I, um, I-" Mark looks at Tom one more time, pausing.

"Like I said before, you are more than just my best friend. You're my partner in crime and the first person I want to talk to in the morning. It means a lot to me that you feel you can trust me so much and how much you rely on me to help you."

Mark moves to wipe a piece of lint off Tom's cheek before continuing, "Can I ask you a question?"

Tom nods and pushes his tongue against the inside of his lip ring.

"Why do you like me calling you 'Baby'? I mean, I like it, but I'm just curious what you think of all this."

Before Tom's able to respond, Mark's phone vibrates in his pants pocket. Giving a frustrated groan, he reaches in to answer it.

"Yello you've reached Mark. Please leave a message after the beep." Mark then beeps and waits to hear how the caller responds.

Tom gives a frustrated groan when he hears the tinny voice of Chris Coté, from Kut U Up.

He hears the excitement in Chris's voice, sees the glimmer of laughter in Mark's face and the hesitation that soon covers it.

"Um, yea let me get back to you on that okay?" Mark looks down at Tom, still wrapped in his blanket, legs tucked into Mark's body.

Mark ends the call and slides the small phone back into his pocket.

Tom tries really hard not to appear curious about the phone call.

Mark looks over and sees Tom with a small pout and driving his brown eyes into the floor.

"So, that was Chris. Chris Coté." Mark pauses to let his words soak into Tom before continuing, "Him and the guys are going to be in Hartford, Connecticut the same couple days we are for this festival they're having. Wanted to know if we wanted to hook up and chill. What do you want to do?"

Tom bites his lip, choosing his words carefully. Mark is after all asking his opinion, that's something unusual when it came to Kut U Up.

"Um, Mark. Don't take this the wrong way but um, whenever you get around those guys you... you're different."

Mark pulled back from Tom, cocking his head and raising an eyebrow.

Tom looked down at his hands under the blanket. He bit his lip, sucking on his lip ring.

Looking up into Mark's dark blue eyes, he continued getting quieter. "It's, it's like you forget I'm there."

Mark raised both eyebrows, opening his mouth to try and prove Tom wrong. He could't come up with an example to support his thoughts though.

"Aw Tom, I'm sorry man. This time would be different though. You," Mark pauses and takes Tom's cold hands into his and tries to warm them up.

He presses his lips to them, cradling the younger boy's hands in his own and blows warm air onto them.

"You have put some things into perspective for me. Besides, it's not for another couple weeks. Plenty of time to worry about that later."

Both heads turn when they hear a knock on the door.

"You will answer my question eventually, Baby!" Mark says to Tom with a smile, tapping the tip of the younger man's nose.

Mark shouts, asking who it is. Neither man can make out the voice behind the heavy steel door.

Mark untangles himself from Tom and goes to the door, opening it and revealing Travis, still looking a little blue after the events from earlier.

"Is he willing to talk to me now?" Travis asks, standing on tippy toe to peer over Mark's shoulders.

The older man turns and takes a look at Tom, who has hidden himself under the green blanket.

Smirking, Mark turned to face the drummer and spoke softly to him, "He's acting all weird now. Very off, clingy-like. I don't think he wants me out of his sight. If its alright with you I'll stay, listen to some music or something while you two talk. That alright?"

Travis nodded and moved into the room.

Mark squatted near his bag and pulled out headphones to listen to music and grabbed his notebook. Sitting in the corner of the room, he tried to give the other two men some privacy, without going too far from Tom.

He twirled his alien pencil while trying to finish a line he had been working on the previous night.

Travis had shuffled slowly up to Tom. He sat to the left of the blanket-clad guitarist, tapping what he thought might be the hiding man's shoulder.

Tom poked his head out, leaning towards where he felt a shift in weight on the couch with a smile. When the brown eyes focused on the tattooed skin of the drummer, Tom visibly jumped back slightly, smile slipping away.

Trying not to panic, he cleared his throat and pulled his Mark scented shirt up and over his chin and nose.

"Where did Mark go?" Tom asked, hoping the shirt would muffle the tremble in his voice.

"Relax." Travis pointed to Mark sitting on the floor. Tom's eyes shifted between the drummer to his left over to Mark on his right.

Tom caught Mark's eyes and the older man sent a reassuring smile to the younger one. Nodding at Travis, Mark mouthed the word, 'Talk!'

Tom bit his lip and looked back at Travis, thumbing the cuffs of Mark's long sleeved thermal.

Travis scratched at his neck, looked down to the floor and began to apologize. "Tom, Tom I'm so sorry for what I said to you and pouring the water on you! I feel horrible. I have no excuse for talking to you that way, I know that what you're going through right now is very serious and Mark's able to help you. I feel like shit for making you upset. I don't want you to think that you can't come to me or Mark when you need help. I may have been an ass, but you're still one of my best friends and I'm here if you need me."

Tom, who had been listening ernestly to what Travis was saying, raised his eyes to the ceiling. Water was welling and threatened to spill over.

Mark, who had been looking out of the corner of his eye, watched as Tom's face sprang hot tears and resisted getting up and running to comfort the younger man.

Travis looked up at his friend and sat still. Unsure of what to do to help Tom, he glanced over at Mark.

Mark met Travis's blues with his own and motioned to the left with his head. 'Hug him' he lipped.

Travis looked back at Tom and counted the tears that rolled down his cheeks.

One... two... three, four, five.

He swallowed hard and leaned in to Tom, stopping suddenly when the boy jumped back.

Travis's forehead wrinkled in confusion and sadness at the fear that shown in Tom's brown eyes. He watched as the guitarist scooted off the couch and crawled, leaving the blanket in a rumpled mess on the floor, to Mark's lap.

Travis swore quietly and put his face in his hands.

Mark was torn between cradling Tom and pulling him back to the couch so the two men could finish their conversation.

The red notebook fell to the side as Tom wrapped his arms around Mark's neck. Mark wrapped his left arm around Tom's waist and brought his right hand up to rub the back of the younger one's head.

"Tom," Mark whispered, "Babe what's wrong? Travis isn't going to hurt you, he just wanted to give you a hug. C'mon now, you're being silly."

Mark bit his tongue, grimacing as Tom drew back his head and looked at the older man with his face wrinkled in frustration.

Mark tried again, "Okay, not silly, not silly. But Tom, look at him. He's harmless. C'mon, we need to go talk to him."

Tom hugged Mark harder, shaking his head fervently.

"No," Mark said more sternly, "We are. No choices. I'll be with you, stop freaking out."

Pouting, Tom followed Mark back to the couch, sitting practically on top of him when Mark took a seat.

"Trav, Tom is here for his hug. He's ready now." Mark scooted back a little to give Tom room, holding him there with an arm as Tom tried to follow Mark.

Travis peered out at Tom from behind his tattooed fingers. His blue eyes were glossy, making Tom pause.

Travis leaned forward to give a much needed hug to Tom and whispered, "I'm so fucking sorry."

Tom patted Travis on the back and nodded an acknowledgment.

Mark smiled at the two, "Okay! Now kiss and make up!"

Tom and Travis both shot their eyes up to Mark's. Travis laughed at the happiness plainly seen on the older man's face while Tom glared at Mark.

Travis looked at his watch, "We got an hour before we have to go feed the fans. I'll be with my board trying to get that stupid trick right. And there's no way I'm kissing this weirdo, no offense Tom."

"That's fine with me. I don't kiss boys." Tom was still glaring at Mark.

Mark's smile faulted at Tom's comment, looking at him with curiosity.

Mark's eyes followed Travis to the door, then fell upon Tom when the latch clicked closed.

"What was with that last comment? Seems a little harsh the way you said it looking straight at me." Mark crossed his arms over his chest.

Tom pouted. He crossed his own arms mirroring Mark.

"What was with you telling me to kiss Travis?" Tom cocked his head and raised both eyebrows, waiting for a response.

Mark rolled his eyes and turned back to the TV.

"What so now you're not going to talk to me?" Tom's voice cracked a bit as he finished his sentence.

"It. Was. A. Joke." Mark punctuated, not taking his eyes off the screen.

Tom sat silent next to Mark,observing and taking note at little things about him.

Mark bit the inside of his cheek while watching the show absent mindedly. Blue eyes keep flickering over, watching Tom's own movements, Tom still watching Mark.

Ankles cross and uncross, toes tapping an irregular beat. Fingers run over soft wet lips, lips that a pair of brown eyes can't stop staring at.

"I like you calling me 'Baby' cause it makes me feel loved." Tom blurts out.

Freezing his movements, fingers still on lips, Mark turns to look at Tom.

"You are loved. Travis and I both love you, even when you're being weird. Like now." Mark said quietly, waiting to see what Tom would do next.

Tom sighed and gave in to Mark, lifting his friend's arm and brought it up and around his own shoulder. "But, that's best friend love. I love you guys both to death," he paused, swallowing then whispering, "But with you it's a different kind of loved feeling. Like...how a girl loves a boy kind of love feeling. I don't know, I'm confusing myself now. You're a boy and I'm a boy. I mean, men. We're both men. I'm just going to shut up now and stop babbling."

Tom pulled away to stand up from Mark, stopping when Mark grabbed his wrist. "You are loved. Trust me, you're loved."

Tom gave a half smile and sat back down. He leaned into Mark's chest, wrapping an arm around the older man's stomach.

Mark pressed a kiss into Tom's hair, both sets of eyes falling on the TV before they were called for the Meet and Greet.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

"Tom every night it's the same thing. Honestly, please just come to bed with me now so I can go to sleep. I end up waiting for you to give in and come knocking on my door, because you do it every night. I just want to go to sleep tonight, I'm beat. We have two days off before our next show. I want to sleep for the better part of the next 48 hours."

Mark gave a frustrated sigh and leaned his head against the doorframe.

"Come on, I bet I can find 'Alice in Wonderland' or maybe 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. You can watch it, I'm going to crash."

Tom bit his lip before nodding.

"Hold on a minute though." Tom said before opening his hotel door and running in to grab his toothbrush and the small stuffed pig.

Mark smiled before following Tom into his hotel room. Shutting and locking the door, he turned around, feet barely lifting off the floor as he stripped down to his boxers on the way to his bed.

Tom sat stiff on the edge of the bed, watching Mark. Tom had put Mark's clothes back on him after they finished their show. He didn't want to return the articles of clothing.

Tom had stretched out the sleeve and had it running over his lips as his eyes followed Mark, seeing him peel back the covers and crawl into them. He watched as Mark flipped the TV on and hit a few buttons to get to the pay-per-view channels.

Mark scratched at his chest while his eyes glazed over the screen, scrolling though various titles. He smiled and put the remote down on the bedside table.

Tom turned to the TV before matching Mark's smile. Mark had found Alice. The older man patted the spot next to him, waiting for Tom to undress and climb in.

Tom slid in next to Mark, pulling Piggy into their bodies as well. Mark let a slow, low hiss escape his lips when he felt Tom's bare chest skim and slide against his own.

He was losing control as he felt Tom's hot breath on his nipple ring. Mark closed his eyes, trying to relax.

His eyes shot open as he felt Tom slide his right leg over and across Mark's left, getting dangerously close to Mark's groin.

His breathing was becoming labored, he swallowed hard and looked down at Tom.

Feeling eyes upon him, Tom peered up at Mark. His eyes were so big and brown, completely unaware of what was happening below the covers.

"What?" Tom asked innocently.

Mark closed his eyes again. Taking a slow, deliberately calm breath in, Mark spoke quietly to Tom. "Fuck, Tom. You have no idea. You need to take your leg off me before you get a surprise you're not ready for. I need to go to the bathroom."

Mark opened his eyes to look down at Tom again, unprepared for how heated the brown eyes were.

Brown eyes looked purposefully into blue, chin tilting slightly against Mark's chest. Tom opened his mouth, just enough so Mark could see the small, pink, wet tongue flick out and run over his lips.

Mark's breath hitched.

The left side of Tom's mouth lifted up in a smile as he rolled his tongue slowly up Mark's nipple and over the metal piercing, sending a shudder through the older man's body.

Tom gave a small tight smile at Mark before taking Piggy and rolling over to his right. Grabbing a pillow and spooning it, his eyes fell on Alice as she played with her kitten, Dinah.

"Fucking tease." Mark got off the bed and stomped to the bathroom, turning on the shower in hopes it would drown out some of the noise that would be leaving his heated body.

Tom just giggled.


	9. Chapter 9

"Piggy bo biggy, fe fi fo figgy, Piggy!" Tom sang softly to himself as he threw Piggy up into the air above him and caught the small toy as it descended. 

Tom sighed and looked at the sleeping form on the bed next to the one he was laying on. 

A small snore could be heard seeping out from the lump under the floral comforter. 

Tom gently pulled on his lip ring with his teeth, puckering his lips and then ran his tongue over them. He had been waiting for 45 whole minutes for Mark to wake up on his own. 

He was still sleeping. 

Tom pushed himself off the bed and walked over to the window. Pulling back the heavy cream vinyl curtain, he peeked out the window. 

Blue skies and sunshine made him bounce up and down. Letting go of the curtain, the brown eyed boy turned back around and contemplated a thought. 

Holding Piggy in his left hand, he crossed that arm and raised his right hand to tap thoughtfully at his lips as he tilted his head. 

He shrugged and took soft steps to the edge of the bed. Getting down on his hands and knees, he crawled around the bed, careful to not drag Piggy along the foreign carpet too much. 

A small smile played on his lips as he pranced Piggy up the side of the bed and onto the top of the covers. Rising so just his eyes were visible, Tom helped Piggy climb up and over Mountain Mark. 

Just before Piggy reached Mark's forehead, the only visible part of him, there was a quick knock at the door. 

Pausing the toy mid pounce, Tom walked curiously to the door. He tilted his head as he unlocked it, Piggy still in hand. 

Barely cracking the door open, Tom witnessed blonde hair burst through in a whirl, glancing at the shocked boy and moving right past him to tackle Mountain Mark. 

Tom, still by the door, lets a frown cross his face, closing the door and walking over to a cushioned chair at the tiny round table near the foot of the bed. He drops Piggy into Mark's open bag as he passes by it. 

Tom rests one hand under his chin as he watches the blonde bassist with the pointy chin jump all over sleeping Mark. 

"Marky Marks, wakey wakey! Time to shakey shakey." The excited man jumps on top of Mark, wiggling around and making all sorts of odd noises. 

Tom looks on, unimpressed by Chris Coté's surprise visit. 

Mark, disheveled after being bounced upon pokes a smiling face out from the blankets, laughing as he pushes Chris's roaming hands away from his half naked body. 

Tom looks on with big eyes, a small frown falling again on his soft lips. "My Marky Marks." Whispering to himself. 

Mark laughs again as Chris tries to crawl under the blankets with him. Mark sits up and glances over at Tom, biting his lip as he notices the frown on his younger friend's face. 

Mark sticks out his tongue at the brown eyed boy and pulls it back in. Tom stares at him, barely registering that Mark is trying to make him smile. 

Mark puckers his lips and blows Tom a kiss. That does get a reaction out of the younger one, cheeks turning pink and a small repressed smile dances over his features. 

Mark smiles big and looks down at his fingers, which have laced themselves into the white sheet that is covering Mark's lower body. 

Chris has since stopped trying to tickle Mark and lays next to him, breathing hard. 

"Well Mark, get your ass out of bed. I decided to surprise you. I was in New Jersey and figured since we both had the day off I'd stop by since you were so close." Chris leans in to Mark and sniffs deeply. 

He pulls his face away from the other bassist before pinching his nose. "You reek dude. Go shower. Be quick Marky boy, I have lots on our itinerary today, it's already almost nine a.m.!"

Mark falls back against his pillow. "Dude you need to give me a few. I just woke up. I was planning on sleeping till dinner time."

Tom kicks at the chair before mumbling to himself, "Yea, I would have let you keep sleeping. I wouldn't have woken you up so rudely..."

Chris sits up and raises one eyebrow at Tom. "Did you say something?" 

Tom sucks on his lip ring. He shakes his head 'no'. Tom looks down at his fingernails and begins to pick at them. 

Mark throws off the covers and stands to stretch. Raising his arms above his head, Mark lets out a long, loud, yawn. 

Tom's brown eyes dance over Mark's stomach. He tilts his head as his eyes fall on the trail of hairs below the older man's belly button. Tom bites his lip.

"Dude you're totally checking Mark out." 

Mark drops his arms suddenly and whirls around to look at Chris, mouth dropped open at his comment. 

Tom begins to cough, choking on his own saliva. Eyes watering from the lack of oxygen, Tom tries to regain his breath. 

Brown eyes meet blue, and Tom swallows. Wrinkles appear by blue, and Tom grows red as he realizes Mark is smiling at him. 

"I was not." Tom pouts and looks over to Chris who is covering his mouth trying to stifle the giggles. 

Mark tries to comfort the younger man, "Hey, if I were you, I'd have a hard time not looking at my sexy body too." 

Tom laughs and squints at Mark's chest. 

"Actually, I was looking at that spider on you." Tom says as Mark quickly glances down at his own body, brushing the imaginary arachnid off him. 

"Where?! Where?! Ew, is it gone?" Mark panics.

Tom continues to laugh as Mark looks around his chest, jumping up and down alternating feet in his underwear. 

"Tom, is it gone? Is the fucking spider gone?"

Chris, catching on to Tom's joke, dramatically jumps up next to Mark and slams his foot down, grinding it into the carpet. 

Mark leaps from the spot Chris is standing by and runs to Tom. Tom, not being able to keep it together, has landed in a pile on the floor. His hand slams into the floor as laughter racks his body. 

"Don't worry Marky, I got it." Chris says as he pretends to wipe his foot against the bed's comforter. 

"Shit, you saved me!" Mark moves to give Chris a hug, causing Tom to wrinkle his forehead in jealousy. 

Chris smirks at Tom over Mark's shoulder. 

"Anything for you Marky!"

Tom rises, sitting back on the previously occupied chair. 

Mark gently pries Chris's arms off of him and points to the bathroom. He gives a tight smile to Tom before walking past him into the tiled room.

Tom runs his fingers over the black lacquered tabletop. His finger makes a smooth swirl before fading into the glossy finish. 

He looks up at Chris from beneath his eyelashes. Chris has moved himself back to the bed Mark was using, reclining against the wooden headboard. 

Their eyes meet and Tom struggles to make conversation. 

"So..." He starts, "What are the plans for today?"

Chris seems surprised that Tom is speaking with him, he scratches his head before replying. 

"Well, I figure Mark and I will head down to Battery Park and work our way up. Start with the Statue of Liberty, then head up and stop in Central Park, visit the ducks, take a romantic stroll over the picturesque bridges..." Chris runs a finger over his chin as he continues to ramble. 

Tom stopped listening after he heard the words 'romantic stroll'. 

Tom glances over to Mark's bag, seeing Piggy's ears above the zipper. He smiles at them before looking to the bathroom door, sure he had heard a faint 'Tom'. 

Tom listens again, yes that was definitely Mark calling his name. Tom walks by Chris, sending a smug smile to the still rambling man. 

Chris stops talking and watches as Tom enters the bathroom, leaning over the edge of the bed catching the dark wood door click closed. 

Tom's toes curled into the soft red carpet in front of the sink. 

"Mark? What did you need?" Tom called out to Mark, lowering his eyes as the older man poked his head out of from behind the crimson shower curtain. 

"Hi!" Mark said with a smile. 

Tom waved at Mark, not taking his eyes off the base of the tub the older man was standing in. 

Sticking one finger out of the white ceramic tub, Mark beckoned Tom closer with a quiet "C'mere."

Tom stumbled forward, foot catching on the carpet, unsure about being inches away from the naked man. He swallowed, raising his eyebrows at Mark. 

Mark shot his head past the shower curtain and quickly left a wet kiss on Tom's lips. 

The tiny gasp that escaped the brown eyed man's lips was enough to make Mark smile shyly. 

"I was just wondering if you could go get me my clothes. Think you can do that for me," Mark paused, giving the boy another peck on Tom's now pink cheeks, before quietly finishing his question, "Baby?"

The younger man smiled shyly, nodding, pulling his bottom lip into his mouth. Turning and exiting the bathroom, Tom happily skipped and bent next to Mark's bag.

With still pink cheeks, Tom pushed Piggy to the side, he ran a thoughtful hand over the soft pink fur before continuing on for Mark's things. 

Gathering the clothing, Tom slipped back into the bathroom. He had been so preoccupied he hadn't noticed that the water had stopped running. 

"Oh! Oh my God. I'm so sorry Mark, crap, um, yea." Tom babbled as he backed out of the bathroom and shut the door. 

Brown eyes were wide as Tom backed himself up against the unused double bed and fell back onto the floral print. 

Tom stared at the ceiling as he bit his lip, pulling it into his mouth. The picture in his head of Mark naked, dropped towel around his ankles and the look of surprise on his face was engrained in his mind. 

"Tom! I need my clothes!" Mark called. Tom sat up quickly, shaking his head as he shuffled to the bathroom, realizing the fabric in his hands were Mark's things. 

"Here, sorry." Tom mumbled, handing the dark jeans, orange boxers and yellow tshirt to Mark. 

Mark thanked him and asked, "Can you see if I have my black hoodie in my bag? I can't remember if I grabbed it or not from the bus."

Tom nodded and went back to search in the bag. Chris decided he had enough of waiting around for Mark. 

"Come on Mark, you're taking forever. I want to get going. They only let so many people a day climb the Statue of Liberty." Chris whined. 

Mark nodded, turning with his green toothbrush hanging out of his mouth, turning to spit in the sink. He stuck his head out of the bathroom and looked past Chris to Tom. 

"Is it there?" Mark asked Tom, waiting to see the younger man nod and then continued, "You ready to go?"

Tom's eyes flickered to Chris and then to his best friend. Chris was frowning and squinting his eyes at Mark. Mark, noticing the odd look between Tom and Chris, raised one eyebrow in question. 

Tom looked down at his toes then up to Mark's blue eyes. Getting lost in them for a moment, he shook his head to bring him back to reality. 

"Um, I need to grab shoes and my jacket. You'll-" Tom stopped, looked over at the unhappy bassist then back to Mark. 

"You'll be here right? Not going anywhere, right?" Tom cleared his throat, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice. 

"Course. We won't leave without you, go get your stuff." Mark reassured the younger man, reaching an arm up and squeezing his shoulder. 

Tom nodded, hesitated before leaving the hotel room to run quickly into his. 

Tom knew Chris didn't want him to go along, it made him a little nervous. He found semi clean socks and shoved his feet into unlaced green Converse. Grabbing a dark grey zip up, he glanced in the mirror quickly. 

He frowned at his reflection and ran his hand through his hair, forcing his bangs to stay down in a half decent way. 

Nervous eyes ran over his black Volcom tshirt, pulling at the wrinkles, willing them away, and down to his stonewashed blue jeans. He attached his chain on his jeans to his wallet and slid it in his back pocket. He debated whether or not to zip his jacket up, finally deciding against it.

Running his fingers through his hair one more time, he left his room and stopped before entering Mark's. He could hear voices through the partially opened door. 

Leaning closer he listened as Mark spoke. 

"No fucking way am I ditching Tom. He's my best friend, I'm not going to be a douche bag to him."

Chris then spoke. 

"Yea well he hangs out with you all the time, aren't you tired of him? He seems a little boring. Doesn't really talk much, I never get to see you. Can't we just meet up with him later?"

Tom swallowed the lump and waited to hear Mark's answer. 

"Not happening dude. I promised I'd chill with him before I even knew you were coming. I won't bail on him. You just have to get to know him, he's a ton of fun to be around. Does stupid shit and laughs at the dumbest things, just like me. In fact, he is me, just better."

Tom gave a half smile and put his hand on the handle to push it in, stopping when he heard Chris respond. 

"Yea whatever. Some date you turned out to be. I'm going to be the third wheel."

Tom backed up when he heard the two men inside approach the door. Mark swung open the door, turning from Chris and giving a big grin when he saw Tom. 

The brown eyed man was bent on his knees and tieing his shoes, trying to look busy. 

Chris rolled his eyes and walked past the two bandmates to wait at the elevators. 

"You look cute." Whispered Mark.

Tom's eyes fell to the floor as a shy smile spread across his face. 

The three men waited at the elevators for only a moment. As the door opens Chris was the first to enter, turning and busying himself with the panel of buttons. 

Mark raised an arm, gently placing it on the small of Tom's back as the two walked onto the elevator at the same time. 

Tom had to fight the growing smile as it threatened to take over his entire body. Fingers tapped on his thighs and toes curled and uncurled in his shoes. 

Once reaching the lobby, the three riders exited. Chris hopped back on for a moment to press every single button so they all glowed yellow. 

"I couldn't help it." Chris grinned while beaming at Mark. 

As the men walked onto the busy New York City street, they looked around for an iron green staircase. 

Mark pointed out the subway entrance across the street from where they were standing. Tom nodded towards the crosswalk and followed a step behind Mark. 

Chris tried counting the cabs as they waited for the light to turn green for them to walk. 

Mark looked over at his younger friend and leaned into him. 

"How are you? You doing okay? We haven't really got to talk today." 

Tom grabbed chapstick out from his pants pocket and ran the small black labeled stick over his chapped lips. 

"I'm good. There's a lot of people," Tom hesitated, noticing the crosswalk sign change from a red hand to a green person walking and followed the crowd of people across the street. 

He had to jog a bit to keep up with Chris and Mark, who were chattig amongst themselves. Tom reached out for the cuff of Mark's sleeve to hold on to. A happy smile danced on the older man's lips. 

Reaching the other side, the three turned right and in a single line descended the stairs, Tom felt Mark's fingers lightly holding onto his own. 

"Just don't lose me, please!" Tom finished his sentence and hurried to stay with Mark. 

"Absolutely." The blue eyed man reassured. 

After buying their tickets from the panel of vending machines, they walked to the turnstiles to enter into the subway station. 

Chris went through first, sliding his ticket pass into the metal slot on the front and pulling it out from the top to allow the saloon looking doors to slide open. 

Mark was next with no problems either. Tom copied Mark's lead, inserting his ticket into the appropriate slot and pulled it from the top slot. 

Instead of the doors opening with a bing, Tom's ticket resulted in a buzz, doors staying closed. 

Tom, panic setting in, looked to Mark for help. Mark stood dumbfounded that the doors didn't let the younger man pass. 

"Don't panic, try it again Tom. Maybe you put it in upside down. Just try again ba-um, T-tom." Mark stuttered, almost using his favorite term of endearment for Tom in public. 

Fumbling with the small white ticket, Tom tried to insert it into the slot. He dropped it, watching as it fluttered to the floor. 

Nervous he would lose it, Tom fell to his knees to scoop up the small paper. With shaking hands, he slowly guided it in the silver slot. 

The machine sucked it in, giving a small bing and the door slid open for Tom. Climbing up the turnstile, he quickly made his way through the plastic doors and grabbed his ticket. 

Mark ran a friendly hand over the tops of the shaking man's shoulders. Tom nervously thumbed the edge of Mark's hoodie. 

Chris rolled his green eyes, turning and walking towards a subway map. 

"Okay so we're here at Times Square/42nd street. Looks like we just need to follow the red line down all the way to South Ferry." Chris pointed to the large lit map in front of him. 

Glancing over his shoulder to make sure Mark was near, Chris looked up at the signs over their heads. 

"This way!" He raised one finger over his head and galloped down the busy hallway. Onlookers watched the exuberant man imagine a horse under his legs. Chris ignored the disapproving looks. 

Mark followed closely to a group of Girl Scouts on a field trip. Brushing up against Tom, and using the group of children as cover from the other bassist, the blue eyed man ran his fingers over the grey cotton fabric and down to lace them into the clammy hands of the guitarist. 

Tom looked to Mark with alarm. Wide eyed, he glanced up at Chris's back and then back to the bright blue eyes. 

"I won't lose you, babe." Mark whispered to the brown eyed man, giving a light squeeze before letting go. 

Tom bit his lips with a smile as Chris turned, splitting the group of middle school girls into two smaller groups. 

Mark smacked Chris on the back before descending a set of stairs. Tom's eyes darkened as he watched the two interact. Oblivious, Mark waited for Tom at the bottom and leaned against a tile column to wait for the next train. 

Mark stood straight a few moments later, hearing the bell ding to signal an oncoming subway train. Chris stayed close to Mark, making Tom shuffle his foot and kick the column uncomfortably. 

Tom was busy looking at his green canvas shoes. He noticed a surge of people moving towards the now open subway car. 

"Mark? Fuck." Tom looked around, frantically trying to find the brunette in the black hoodie. 

Eyes shot up when he heard his name being called. Before Tom could figure out where the voice was coming from, he felt a hand land on his shoulder. 

Brown eyes fell on a familiar hand. "Tommy, you need to pay attention! You almost got separated from us! You're lucky you're tall and I can find you easily."

Mark pulled the taller man into the crowded train car and brought him close to his chest. Dozens of people were crammed onto the train, filling the seats and holding onto anything that was bolted to the floor for support. 

The subway car rattled to life and soon the crowd was bustling side to side. Tom held on to Mark's body, one hand looped in his belt loop while the other rested casually on his shoulder. Mark held on to a metal pole that ran parallel to the ceiling. 

Tom tried to look around, appearing to be uninterested in being that close to his best friend.

Chris laughed as he read some of the advertisements on the ceiling of the car. 

Mark's eyes glanced over at the other bassist, noticing he was preoccupied and gracefully planted a quick kiss on the temple of the younger boy when the train car conviently jolted taking a turn on the tracks. 

"Stay close to me, please." Mark begged. "I don't want to be worrying about you all day, it's stressing me out dude." 

"Aw, you're worrying about me? How sweet..." Tom teased, smiling in reaction to Mark's big grin. 

"Shaddup." Mark smirked. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Let's go! We got to make the ferry, you fairy!" Chris snorted at his own joke, pulling on Mark's hand to get them to line up at the entrance to the ferry.

The three men watched as the large ferry docked and passengers filtered off. 

Chris pushed his way through the crowds as the people were allowed entrance onto the ferry. 

"Mark look, there are birds inside here!" Tom pointed to the ceiling as he watched the birds flutter around above their heads. 

Mark yanked on Tom's arm to keep him close, causing the taller man to stumble a bit. 

Shaking his head he twisted his head back so that Tom could hear him speak as the three men walked forwards onto the boat. 

"Didn't your mother teach you to not look up when birds fly over your head? You're gonna end up with birdshit on your face." 

Chris chimed in, "Hey maybe he should look up at 'em, it may end up making him look better!" 

Tom glared at the back of Chris's head, letting a frown set on his face. 

The frown quickly fell off his face when Mark caught his attention, watching his lips form the words, 'Ignore him'.

Chris climbed the ramp onto the ferry and followed the flow of people till they were on the rooftop looking out into the Upper Bay. 

"It's smelly up here." Remarked Tom, looking around at the waterfront and placing his sunglasses, which he found in his zip up, on his face, sitting down to the right of Mark. 

"Maybe you shou-" Mark cut off Chris with a quick whack to his chest. 

"Enough dude." Mark lowered his own sunglasses and sent a glare to his friend on the left. 

The men sat silently as the ferry left the dock and moved slowly through the water. Tom leaned back against the bench they were sitting on and raised his face to soak up the sun. 

"Hey Mark?" Tom asked quietly. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the older man tilt his head towards Tom. Knowing he was listening, Tom continued, "I'm hungry. We never ate breakfast."

Mark nodded and leaned slightly into Tom. Chris excused himself to find the restrooms, giving the two bandmembers a moment to themselves. 

"Is this okay?" Mark asks Tom.

"Is what okay?" Tom lifts up his sunglasses to peer into Mark's blue eyes. 

"This," pausing to motion between the two of them, the older man continued, "me and you, me acting like this with you."

Tom wrinkled his eyebrows in confusion. "I'm not sure I'm following, Mark."

"Me, sneaking kisses and grabbing your hand and whatnot. Acting this way, in public. You know." Mark began to grow red trying to explain himself to the younger man. 

Catching on, Tom nodded, "Yeah, it's cool. I don't mind it." 

A smile grew on Mark's face and Mark let himself run his fingertips over Tom's chin. The brown eyed boy dropped his eyes and swallowed hard.

"Um, that kid is staring." 

Mark dropped his hand and looked in the direction that Tom nodded. 

A small boy with a sippy cup dangling from his mouth looked with wide green eyes at the actions between the two men. 

Mark cleared his throat, looking awkwardly at the small child. "He can't, he's too small to know, I don't think..." 

Mark stuttered as he tried to figure out what the preschooler was thinking or could possibly say. 

"It's not a big deal, Marky." Tom's hand flew up to cover his mouth. 

Tom apologized before explaining, "I didn't mean to call you that. I know that's like, Chris's name for you. I, I'm not sure what came over me. Sorry Mark."

Mark leaned in close to Tom's flushed face. 

"Baby, you can call me whatever your little heart desires." Mark said so softly. 

Tom was pretty sure he melted into the slotted bench right then and there. 

Chris chose that moment to come bouncing back, throwing a chocolate chip muffin at Tom and a banana one at Mark.

"Breakfast, on me." Chris explained at the confused reactions he got out of the two Blink men. 

"Holy shit, thanks man! We were just talking about how hungry we were getting." Mark spoke while peeling the plastic seran wrap off the breakfast treat, looking over at Tom's muffin to see what flavor he had. 

Tom also smiled a 'thank you' and showed Mark his muffin. 

"Can we trade bites? I want to try yours." Mark leaned in, letting Tom hold the overly large muffin as he took a small bite. Mark did the same for Tom, forgetting they were in public. 

"You guys should tone it down a bit, everyone's going to start believing that you two are gay and together." 

Tom choked on his muffin, swallowing the wrong way as he heard Chris's words. 

Mark fumbled with his muffin, nearly dropping it on the ground. 

"What, you guys act like it sometimes." Chris stopped talking and jumped up as the Statue of Liberty came into view. 

The three men marveled at how majestic it looked up close. 

The San Diego men rose to try an beat the crowd off the ferry and get to the national monument sooner. 

Following one another off the boat, the three finished their muffins, throwing away the wrappers and stopping by a water fountain quickly. 

Chris shielded his eyes as he leaned back to take in the giant green monument. 

"Do you think we can climb to the very top? Like all the way up the torch?!" Chris asked with excitement. 

"Nope, it's been closed to the public since 1916." Mark and Chris turned to look at Tom.

Tom shrugged and pointed to an informational facts board located to the left of the water fountains. 

"What? It says so. It also said it originally wasn't green." Tom explained. 

Chris scratched his head and looked back at the large statue. "What do you mean. What other color could it have been? I've never seen pictures of it anything other than green."

Tom looked to his feet, suddenly nervous to be talking with the Kut U Up bandmember. 

"Well, it was copper. Like a penny. It's been exposed to the elements for so long though that it's oxidized and turned green. And um, all photos were black and white when it was constructed so, there's no evidence. Just written testimonies." 

Mark smiled proudly at the younger man, like a mother listening to her son at a science fair.

"I don't see it say that. Where did you hear that?" Chris questioned, looking over the poster, one hand scratching his chin. 

"Seventh grade U.S. History. I liked that part of social studies because I'm pretty sure the torch is a special beacon that sends out a signal to the aliens."

Mark smacked himself in the forehead, knowing Tom could go on and on to anyone that would listen to his alien conspiracy theories. 

"You're just filled with random useless facts, aren't you?" Chris laughed, "What else do you know about it?"

"Well," Tom thought a moment, closing one brown eye in concentration, sticking out his tongue, he racked his brain for other Statue of Liberty knowledge.

"There's 354 steps to climb. And seven spokes on her crown, one for each continent. Supposed to be a symbol for freedom for all the immigrants coming into the country. Oh, and she's got like really big feet. She would wear a sandal size of 879."

Chris's mouth fell open. "What the hell, how the fuck did you know that?!"

Mark giggled and pointed to a kid friendly sign behind Chris, "He can read, that's how he knows that."

"Oh" was the only response the two got from Chris. 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Mark are you okay?" Tom asked, leaning over Mark's red and damp face. Mark was slumped against the wall inside the spiral staircase.

He was at the 300 step marker. 

Mark nodded and looked up to Tom, who four steps ahead of him. "How....how many...more st....steps?"

Mark was breathing hard, taking a long time to get his sentence out. Tom stepped back down to be on the same step as his older friend. 

"Just 54 more. You can do it!" The brown eyed man encouraged the blue eyed man. 

"Who's fucking idea was this? Chris's? I'm gonna..." Mark climbed three stairs and stopped, moving off to the side to let a small girl and her mother climb excitedly up the metal stairs. 

"I'm gonna have to kill him." Mark finished. 

"C'mon Mark! 51 more!" Tom continued to try and motivate the man. Sweat was dripping off his head, causing Mark to pause and wipe it away. 

Tom pressed a small kiss into the older man's temple. "If you get to the top," Tom promised, "I'll give you another kiss, but on the lips..." 

Mark smiled and huffed up the remaining stairs. 

Right before the bassist turned the corner to the viewing platform, Tom leaned over and gave a sweet simple kiss into Mark's dry lips. 

A blush crawled over Tom's face and he backed away, turning to walk over to Chris, who was peering out of the windows. 

"I'm bored with this place." Chris commented to Tom. 

Tom giggled, "I would keep that to yourself. Mark just about died climbing those stairs. He threatened to kill you quite a few times. I'm pretty sure he was serious." 

The two turned to look at Mark, who was leaning back against the wall opposite the windows, still breathing hard and wiping away the sweat that had accumulated on his forehead and neck. 

They looked back at each other then began to laugh again. 

"Mark? Aren't you going to come look out the window with us? You can see the Twin Towers." Chris asked with a impish grin. 

Mark raised his middle finger to his friend before quickly lowering it after getting an awful look from a mother with two small children in tow. 

"Sorry..."He apologized before looking back over at the two young men making small chat at the windows. Tom would occasionally look over to make sure Mark hadn't moved. 

Happy the two seemed to be getting along, he took a moment to think about the last time Tom had a nightmare. It had been four days ago. 

-/- Mark had been peacefully sleeping in the middle of a king sized bed. He twitched as a faint knocking sound filtered into the room. 

Mark was having a pleasant dream. He had been at the beach with Tom, blue skies, crystal like sand and soft waves falling in the distance. Music was playing somewhere, Mark didn't care to figure out where from. 

Mark leaned down ready to give Tom a kiss with the utmost passion, when a thunderstorm quickly rolled through. 

His Tom turned into the young teen that had been standing on his doorstep after his parents fought and divorce was mentioned, crying and reaching for Mark to give him comfort.

The thunderstorm picked up, noisily beating into Mark's ears.

'Mark! Mark! Please, I need you, please let me in!' Older Tom's panicked voice came out of teen Tom.

Mark held Tom close, wondering why he was still screaming for Mark to help him and to let him in. 

Let him in where?

Thunder and rattling woke Mark out of his dream. He realized it was not in fact thunder, but Tom screaming for him outside of his hotel room. 

Throwing off the covers, the disoriented man made his way for the door, fumbling with the lock and tearing the door open. 

Several people had stuck their heads out in the hallway, including Travis, who left his room trying to comfort the blubbering boy. 

Travis had his arms on Tom's shaking shoulders, trying to pull him away from Mark's door and into his own arms. 

"Mark! Fuck Mark!" Tom cried seeing Mark open the door, before falling hard into the older man's arms. 

Mark was unprepared for the sudden weight and staggered a bit, pulling Tom close and running his hands over the boy's shaking head.

"Shhhh, Tom, hey it's okay, I'm right here. I've got you buddy." Mark pulled him into his room, taking a deep breath and catching Travis's eyes. 

"You got him? He's a mess. Been out here for like, five minutes screaming for you." Travis said while rubbing his tired eyes. 

"Fuck, yea I've got him. Tell the crew I'm sorry. I don't know what to do with him, he stays with me and he's fine but he sleeps alone and this happens." Mark shook his head sadly and said goodnight to Travis. 

Tom was still clinging to Mark as he relocked the door. Pulling him to the bed, the blue eyed man sat with the crying boy on the edge of the bed. 

Tom crawled on top of Mark, trying to fit his long limbs comfortably on the smaller man, tucking his head under the chin of his source of comfort. 

"Tom, baby, hey, it's alright. I'm here sweetie, I've got you, no more nightmares babe. No more, you're safe, I've got you." Mark repeated, rocking the sobbing boy, hushing him till he fell asleep, clutching Mark's tshirt. -/-

"Mark! Dude let's go. I want to go check out the little shops on the sides of the streets. Go get some 'I Love NYC' shirts." Chris said, pulling Mark by the hand to the elevator. 

Mark stopped walking abruptly. Tom, who had been following walked straight into Mark's back. Tom had his head down after watching the way Chris's fingers wrapped around Mark's digits, witnessing the smile on the blonde man's face.

"Ouch." Tom rubbed his chin after knocking it against Mark's head. 

Mark's chin clenched as he took deep breaths in and out looking from the brushed steel doors to the smiling bassist next to him. 

"Chris. Do you mean to tell me, there was an elevator here. The whole fucking time?!" Mark was seething by this point. 

Chris just squinted his eyes and grinned widely. 

"Ouchie." Tom repeated, wanting attention from his bandmate. 

Mark glanced back at Tom before walking into the elevator, a frown plastered to his face. He leaned against the elevator wall and bent his right knee, lifting his foot so it rested against the wall as well. 

Tom entered the elevator and moved to stand by Mark in the rear left corner, keeping his hand on his chin and trying to not look bothered by the brush off. Chris filed in on the other side of Mark, with in moments the elevator was filled and began to descend slowly. 

A minute passes by and Mark looks over at Tom, suddenly concerned after realizing what had happened to him. "You okay?" 

Tom kept his face void of emotions and his eyes trained straight ahead, nodding. He tried to ignore Mark's attention, he didn't need it. 

His lip ring rolled from side to side. Tom snuck a peek out of the corner of his eyes to look at Mark. 

Mark was looking at the ceiling, tuning out from the world. 

When the elevator arrived at the ground floor, Tom, Chris and the crowd of visitors exited the small metal box. Tom turned, expecting Mark to be beside him and let out a quiet gasp and shuffled back into the elevator. 

"Mark? You coming?" 

Mark blinked and focused on the person standing in front of him. Tom's eyes concentrated on Mark, making sure he was okay before linking his pinky with the older man's pointer finger and leading him off the elevator. 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Tom poked out his tongue as he erased a few words he had just written in pencil. 

"Mark? Mark?" Tom put his pencil away in his notebook and wiggled his toes. 

Mark stuck his head out of the bathroom letting Tom know he'd be out in a moment. 

Tom sat on the edge of the bed, waiting patiently for Mark to re-enter the bedroom. 

"What's up Tom?" Mark asked while walking over to his bag. He pushed his extra clothes, Piggy and some magazines of Tom's to the side, searching for the plastic framed sun glasses. 

"What are we doing the rest of today since Chris bailed on us? I was thinking of going to this museum? You like that kind of stuff, right?" Tom asked nervously, pulling on the edges of his shirt.

Placing his sunglasses on top of his head, Mark turned and gave a shy smile to Tom. 

"You mean, like a daaaaaaate?" Mark said while wiggling his eyebrows at the blushing man before him. 

"I uh, no um, not like a date, like two best friends going to check out the local attractions. Like that kind of th-thing. Un-unless, y-you want-t it to b-b-be one. A d-date I mean." Tom started stuttering, nervously thumbing the bottom of his shirt. 

"You nervous, Tom?" Mark asked walking closer to the younger man. He moved to sit next to Tom, who was blushing even harder, on the bed. 

Mark tried to keep back the smile that played on his lips. 

Tom's brown eyes bore into the carpet, sucking the metal lip ring into his mouth, he shook his head, eyes never leaving the floor. 

"You're not nervous? Really?" Mark said, pulling his own bottom lip into his mouth. Mark scooted closer to the boy who had begun to breathe faster. He leaned in close to Tom's left cheek and just stayed there. 

Brown eyes flickered momentarily up to blue. Tom swallowed the lump that had made its way into his throat. 

Tom flicked his tongue over his lips and whispered, "Maybe a little bit. You're awfully c-close."

Mark lowered his lips, lightly grazing them over Tom's neck. Bringing his mouth back up to whisper into the younger man's ear, he bit his lip and placed a kiss on the gauged piercing. 

"You're awfully adorable when you stutter because you're nervous. And your thumbs were the thing that gave it away."

Tom sat on his hands. 

Tom turned to look Mark in the eyes. The two kept eye contact, moments passed. Tom looked down to Mark's lips, unconsciously running his tongue over his own lips. 

"Don't tease me again, last night was torturous." Mark broke eye contact to stare down at the boy's lip ring, watching it moving back and forth as Tom played with it. 

Looking back up to big brown eyes, Mark leaned in, stopping mere millimeters away from moist lips. Mark parted his lips, oxygen getting harder to inhale. 

He watched as Tom's eyes fluttered close at the feel of Mark's hot breath on his lips. 

"Can I kiss-" Mark was cut off by Tom's forceful lips crashing into his. Mark let out a moan of thankfulness at Tom's forward behavior. 

Tom took that opportunity to slide a warm tongue against Mark's lips and over the ridges of his teeth. 

Mark leaned forward, moving a hand to Tom's left hip. The older man loomed over Tom, breaking the kiss for just a moment, motioning for the younger one to move back onto the bed. 

Tom leaned up to capture Mark's lips as he propped his forearms to use as a way to scoot back. Feeling the pillows at the top of the bed, Tom stilled and tilted his head, allowing Mark better access to his mouth. 

"Fuck Baby..." Mark whispered breathlessly into Tom's parted lips. 

The brown eyed man raised both hands, running up Mark's locked arms above him, up his neck and into his brown hair. Mark moaned again, moving to leave a trail of wet kisses over Tom's lips and down to his chin and neck, loving the feel of just the tiniest bit of stubble on his tongue. 

When Tom felt the older man's lips leave wet marks on his neck he arched his back, letting out a small moan and rolling his head to the right while he threaded his fingers in the light brown locks and pulled a little on Mark's hair. 

"You taste amazing..." Mark trailed off, getting distracted with the little mole on the base of Tom's neck, right below his adam's apple. 

"Mark, get back up here and kiss me, please." Tom begged.

Mark let a smile roll over his features, nose crinkling with how happy he was. 

Mark slowly kissed Tom's lip, enjoying how soft his lips were, how moist. Chapstick does wonders. He ran his tongue over the silver hoop that stuck out of the younger man's lower lip. 

Turning his head slightly, Mark pulled the lip ring into his mouth, sucking on it. The sharp tug caused Tom to let out a small whimper. 

Mark let go and looked down at Tom's closed eyes. Brown eyes soon resurfaced and looked up to Mark, raising one eyebrow in question. 

"Beautiful, absolutely beautiful." Mark whispered, causing a deep red to roll over the younger man's cheeks. 

Mark lowered himself on top of Tom's skinny frame. Both men began to breathe even harder once they pressed their bodies together. 

Tom had a difficult time concentrating on keeping his cock in control when he could feel the length of Mark, warm and stiff against this thigh. His own shaft was pressing into Mark's stomach, unable to hide anything. 

Tom's eyes glowed with want, he nervously took a hand out from Mark's hair and began to run it over Mark's frame. His hand started to shake and nervous brown eyes looked deeply into blue ones as his hand slid over Mark's back and got close to the top of his pants.

"Don't." Mark said quietly, "I know you're not ready to do anything. You're in a very emotional state lately. I don't want you doing something and regretting it later."

Tom pouted, blinking slowly and extending his bottom lip out further. 

"But, but, but I just want a kiss." Tom said with puppy dog eyes, trying to distract Mark. His hands played with the sturdy denim. 

"Babe, don't push it. I want to do things right with you." Mark rolled off the younger man, much to the unhappiness of Tom.

The brown eyed man sighed and sat up, rearranging his pants so that he felt more comfortable. 

He blushed when Mark stood up and walked around the bed to give him a kiss. 

"Now you know how I felt last night!" Mark said with a sly smile before walking into the bathroom to have some privacy. 

Tom fell back onto the bed and groaned as he heard the shower turn on.


	10. Chapter 10

"Ouch! Ouchie, no, I don't wanna." Tom crossed his arms defiantly and looked up to Mark. 

Mark peered down at his younger friend sitting on the floor of the hotel room. He was huddled in the corner next to a bed. 

Mark jutted his chin out in frustration, glaring at the stubborn boy and took a step closer. 

Tom immediately flopped to his right and crawled behind the floor length window curtain, seeking shelter. 

"Shit, I don't know where Tom went. He must have disappeared." Mark said with fake wonder. 

Tip toeing to the curtain Mark swept the large cream colored fabric to the right, opening it and revealing a very small Tom, trying to hide. 

Mark leaned down and grabbed ahold of the brown eyed boy, grunting as he tried to keep the grip on him tight. 

"No Mark! Forget it, it doesn't hurt anymore! I think it went away, honest." Tom pleaded, being carried fireman style into the bathroom over Mark's shoulder. 

On passing their drummer friend, who had been sitting and watching the scene unfold before him with a small smile, Mark motioned for him to follow into the bathroom. 

"Lock it, Trav." Mark ordered.

"Mark, please Mark. I don't want to! Please, just leave it!" Tom once again tried to reason with the older man. 

Mark shook his head, getting more frustrated by the minute. Turning to make sure Travis was guarding the door, he answered the nervous boy. "Absolutely not, Tom. It will get infected. Stop being a baby!" 

Tom flinched at the harsh sounding words. A small pout formed on his lips, causing his lip ring to poke out slightly. 

Mark sighed and rubbed his left hand against his brow. "I'm sorry, Tom. I just... ugh. We, we need to get it out of you. I know you don't like splinters being pulled, but it will get infected if we don't." 

Mark opened his toiletry bag and pushed around the various items in search of the skinny silver tongs. 

"Trav? Ready?" Mark took a deep breath in before turning to see the other blue eyed man give a curt nod. 

Travis pushed off from the white painted door and moved to grab the younger man. Tom tried to lunge to the left, wanting to avoid the drummer who would lead him to his silvery pointy doom. 

"No! Travis please! No! NO!" Tom got louder, biting his bottom lip and attempted to pull away from his friend's quick arms. 

Travis held Tom from behind, wrapping a tattooed arm around his friend's chest and pulled the thrashing boy close in order to still him. 

"Shhh, Tom. Don't start crying buddy, just hold still and it will be over soon. Mark will be gentle. Dear Lord, you are quite the basketcase, aren't you?"

Travis, trying to distract the weepy brown eyed man with his voice and words, lowered his right arm to steady Tom's right hand. 

"Sweetheart," Mark said quietly, looking over to meet Travis's eyes before blushing and continuing, "Tom, just don't look at me, think about yesterday, at the museum. We had such a fun time, right?"

Mark pried open Tom's long, calloused fingers, inspecting the pad of his ring finger. There lay embedded under his skin, a small grey sliver of wood. 

Mark got in close to Tom's right hand, sticking his tongue in his cheek as he debated the best way to get the intruding object out. 

Twirling the silver tool in his fingers, Mark moved his fingers to hover over the pattern etched into the stainless steel, getting a better grip. 

Mark turned his body so Tom's hand could be braced against the bassist's stomach. 

Tom kept pulling his hand, spewing hateful words at Mark and Travis. 

"No! I hated the museum, it was stupid. You're stupid and ugly, you look like the caveman we saw there. Big and ugly and hairy. I don't know why I brought you there. It was a waste of twenty dollars. I would have paid twenty bucks just to not go there with you and have to watch your stupid ugly face light up when you saw the dinosaur display. You're old, you fit right in with the dinosaurs. Stupid big ugly hairy dinosaur, that's what you are Mark! I hate you!" Tom took a deep shakey breath after his rant. 

Travis was chuckling at Tom's anger filled speech. The brown eyed man turned his hate towards the drummer when he noticed Travis's smirk. 

"And you! You Travis, I hate you too. I hate you for pouring water on me and for your friends eating all my Skittles and for your poor skateboarding skills. You know why you can't ollie? It's cause you suck! You suck at life!"

Mark tried interrupting the furious boy, "Hey, Tom. Tommy!" 

The pinned down boy was released as he continued, pointing a chipped nail into Travis's chest, ignoring Mark. 

"You suck at life so much that your real job should be a professional blow job giver. Yea, cause you suck so much, just like you sucked my dad's dick last night. Yea, you suck so much-" 

Mark shouted, "Tom! It's out, you can stop your bitching now." 

Tom scrunched his face, peering down to look at his ring finger, only seeing a small red mark where the sliver once was held. 

"Oh. That didn't hurt so bad." Tom smiled at Mark.

Mark rolled his eyes, thanking Travis for helping out as he put the tweezers away and washed his hands. 

"You are quite the whiner there, Thomas." Mark said turning to dry his hands on a handtowel. 

Tom watched Travis leave the bathroom and shrugged while pursing his lips. "Sorry for what I said, I didn't really hate the museum with you. You're not hairy and old either."

Tom's brown eyes fell to the floor, stretching out a hand to run gently over the back pockets of Mark's jean shorts, tugging the slightest bit. 

"I know, you tend to run your mouth when you're in pain. When you had that diarrhea in Columbus on the bus you told me you were gonna stick a splintered wooden spoon up my ass so I could feel what you were feeling." Mark chuckled, turning and reached out to hug the taller man. 

"It's okay, I lo-" Mark cut himself off, cursing silently. 

Tom bit his lip, breath hitching as he rested his head against the shorter man's shoulder. 'Me too' he mouthed to the wall. 

"Are you two lovebirds done being all sappy? We need to get onto the bus before they roll out without us. Steve's going to be pissed." Travis's voice filtered into the bathroom as he passed, leaving the Mark and Tom behind. 

"Yea, we're coming." Mark answered. Tom raised his head and looked into blue eyes. Mark kissed the tip of the younger boy's nose, unwrapping his arms from the skinny body. 

"Ready spaghetti?" Mark asked, holding out a hand to Tom. 

The guitarist intertwined his fingers and nodded, following Mark into the bedroom. The two broke contact as Mark placed his toiletry bag in his napsack and picked up his and Tom's things. 

The two left the small room and walked to the elevators. They stood waiting a moment. Tom swung their arms while waiting. He squeezed the older man's hand as the large metal doors opened. 

"Mark, I'm hungry. What are we doing for dinner?" 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
"We rushed for this?" Mark looked up at the smoking engine bay of the tour bus. 

Travis stood beside him leaning his head back as far as it could go, staring at the cement ceiling of the parking garage. 

"Now what? The other two buses already took off. I'm fucking hungry! Mark! What do you want to do?" Travis rolled his shoulders before looking over to his friend. 

Mark had wrapped a friendly arm around Tom, who had glued himself to Mark's side upon hearing they had been stranded at the hotel. 

"Relax Tom, we're here with you, you're not alone." Mark whispered to the nervous boy. Tom moved closer to Mark, pressing himself against Mark's hip, blindly finding the older man's hand. 

Turning to answer Travis, Mark began, "Well, I suppose we could go get some food while they try and fix the bus." Mark paused, wiggling Tom's hand, "That sound good to you, Tommy boy?"

Staring at the grey painted floor, Tom nodded and shuffled his right foot, leaning closer to the left. Mark smiled happily at the man to his right and turned back to the drummer. 

Walt stepped down from the bus, holding a large black phone to his ear. "Yea, we got a situation here Burt. Bus Alpha is out of commission. I think we just need a new seal for the main gasket. Yea, steam's bursting out." 

Walt reached a meaty finger in to twist a knob near the radiator. "Aaah, yeah it's hot. Two hours? That's the soonest you can get someone out here? Yea, I understand it's New York rush hour. Yes Burt, I know your doing me a favor. That's right, 42nd Street and Times Square. Alright. Bye."

Walt walked over to the three men, rubbed a greasy hand across his forehead, smearing a dark line of oil over it. "Well boys, looks like my cousin Burt can't get out here for two more hours. I suggest you three hang tight until then. I'll call up Steve and let him know we'll be two hours or so late."

Mark nodded and rubbed Tom's back, stopping when Travis raised an eye row at the action. Mark swallowed and let go of the brown eyed man's hands. 

Travis bit the inside of his cheek as he squinted one blue eye at Mark, then over to Tom. Unable to talk to them at the moment due to the presence of their bus driver, Travis tucked away the idea of something going on between Mark and Tom for another, more private time. 

Mark began to retreat to the elevators, calling out for Tom and Travis to follow. Turning his head to Walt, Mark brushed a fallen piece of hair out of his eyes. "We're going to go grab a bite to eat. Call us if your cousin gets here sooner, but if not, we'll be back by 8:30."

Walt nodded, unable to verbally acknowledge the boys as they left. He turned back to the engine and began to explain their predicament to Steve. 

Riding in silence up to the main lobby, the three bandmembers stood side by side. Leaving the elevator first, Travis walked to the main desk, wanting to ask about local restaurants. 

Mark itched his shoulder and turned to his best friend. "Hanging in there, buddy? You look a little shaken." 

Running a hasty hand through his hair, Tom looked to Travis then to Mark. Nodding, he walked over to his other friend and listened in on the conversation.

"...just down a block. It's fantastic. Very entertaining, even for adults. Oh! It also has an arcade for the grown ups that are kids at heart." A short lady with dark hair smiled and nodded at the two men that walked up to the man she was talking to. 

"Trav? Find a place?" Mark asked.

The drummer nodded and asked the receptionist for the name again. She was rummaging around in a drawer as Travis asked her. 

She looked up, slightly shocked and replied, "Kahunaville. Think of a Hawaiian style Rainforest Café. They just put it in. Um, would you mind?" 

The receptionist held up a piece of paper with the hotel logo on it with a pen. Travis smiled, taking the pen out of her wavering hand and uncapped it. 

"Did you want it made out to..." Travis squinted at the gold name tag. "Alicia? Or..." He trailed off, waiting for a response. 

"Alicia is fine. Thank you so much. I really, truly appreciate it." She smiled at all three, lingering on Tom. 

Mark squinted his eyes, carelessly scribbling his four letters before passing the pen and paper to Tom. 

The brown eyes man looked to Mark, feeling the heat creep up on his cheeks. He brushed a fallen lock of hair from his eyes and took the pen from Mark, watching as he rolled his eyes and began to walk to the front doors. 

Noticing Mark nearing the exit, Tom scrawled his name and ran after his older friend. Travis waved goodbye to the woman and followed his two friends. 

Tom, now at a jog, looked through the glass door, relaxing once he was able to see Mark. Travis trotted casually behind Tom, not in the least bit of a rush. 

Tom pushed with all this might to open the door. The door stayed shut, wiggling slightly at the force of Tom's arms. Tom looked up, seeing Mark looking up near the entrance, in awe of the tall skyscrapers at dusk. 

"Marky..." Tom whispered, pushing less intensely on the glass door. 

"Hey dumbass." 

Tom turned, wiping away a stray tear to look at Travis. 

"The door handle says pull." 

Tom quickly turned back to read the bold print inscribed on the golden handle. He tested it, pulling slowly. It did indeed open in to the lobby, allowing him to access the streets. 

Tom let out a breath of air he wasn't aware he was holding. 

The brown eyed man quickly enveloped Mark in a large embrace. Surprised by the very public display of affection, the two rocked slightly at the motion of the crowds moving around them. Looking to Travis for an explanation, Mark saw the drummer shake his head with a smile. 

"He was freaking out because he's a retard and couldn't read the door right. He pushed instead of pulled." Travis offered. 

Mark raised an arm to pat Tom on the back, laughing lightly at the younger man. 

Tom didn't let go, instead he squeezed tighter. Mark pulled himself free reluctantly, wanting to enjoy every moment of Tom's warmth. 

"You squish me, Thomas and there will be no one left to put up with your crazy nonsense!" Mark squeeked. 

Tom sniffled and rubbed his nose. "I'm hungry." Warm brown eyes fell upon Mark then Travis. 

Travis rolled his eyes and waved an arm, motioning for his friends to follow through the busy streets, recalling the directions given to him by Alicia. 

Following the tattooed man down a block, they came upon the restaurant the receptionist had mentioned. 

"They have an arcade! Mark! Mark! Mark! Can we play? Pleasey?" Tom jumped up and down, pressing his nose into a window. 

Nodding, Mark held open the door for his younger friends, following behind them. Tom stood at the entrance to the arcade, marveling at it's lights and sounds. 

"It's beautiful..." He whispered to himself.

Amused by Tom's inner kid, Mark shook his head and waited behind a couple with two small boys to put in their name. 

Glancing back to make sure Tom hadn't moved, he stood beside Travis. 

"So what's with you two. And don't lie. I know something's up. You're acting overly protective of him lately." 

Mark froze hearing Travis's words. He fumbled with the pockets in his jeans, scolding himself inwardly for being so careless with his infatuation of Tom. 

Mark swallowed, at a lost for words. Blinking a couple times, his eyes met with Travis's blues. "What-" He began to say. 

"Don't feed me bullshit either. Is he having the nightmares again? I thought that stopped when you guys started bunking together at the hotels." Travis interrupted. 

"Oh thank God." Mark mumbled before giving his first name to the hostess behind the tiki hut. 

The two moved to the side once they received their buzzer indicating when their table would be ready. 

"Um, no,there's no more nightmares, I just-oh fuck." Mark stopped, gripping Travis's forearm as goosebumps rolled over his body. 

"Where's Tom." Mark demanded, low and controlled, eyes turning dark as he scanned the crowd, trying not to let the fear creep into his voice. 

Travis looked around, stepping into the arcade and standing on his tip toes looking for their tall friend. 

"Shit, this is not good, not good!" Mark said while reaching up to grasp his own hair, pulling slightly in anger at himself. 

"Maybe he saw something flashy or had to pee or something, you know how he is, very easily distracted, like a little kid." Travis tried reasoning, beginning to panic a little as well. 

"Yea well, we need to find this kid. What if he's freaking out and doesn't know where we are? Or he is being mobbed by some crazy teens or-" Travis grabbed Mark's shoulders, stopping the older man in the middle of his speech. 

"Stop, go look in the bathrooms, I'll check the arcade and try his cell." Travis said with conviction. 

Mark nodded and went in search of the restrooms as Travis pulled out his phone and dialed Tom's familiar digits. 

Finding the men's room, Mark pushed the door open and stopped once he saw what was inside. 

Next to a tiki man statue was Tom, arms wrapped around his folded legs on the cold ceramic tiles. Tom glanced up as a familiar face came into view. Tom's mouth opened and closed a few times, unable to express how relieved he was to see his Mark. 

"Baby, oh thank God, why did you walk away from where I left you? Are you okay? You're not hurt?" Mark fell into mothering mode as he squatted and hugged Tom, moving his arms and legs around checking for scrapes or bruises. 

"I'm okay." Tom answered in a small voice. He jumped as his cellphone rang from within his cargo pants. He straightened a leg to pull out the small electronic device. 

"It's Travis..." Tom said, still quiet, holding the silver phone out for Mark to take. 

Flipping open the phone, Mark pressed the green 'call' button and greeted Travis. 

"Yea I found him. How else would I be talking to you on his phone? Good call on checking the bathroom. It is? Alright, be there in one minute." Mark shut the phone and returned it to Tom.

Pulling the quiet boy to his feet, Mark nervously checked on Tom again, "You sure you're okay? You're being silent. Usually silent goes hand in hand with horrible in Tom language."

Tom let the edges of his lips twitch up into a smile. "I have my own language?" Pausing, Tom latched on to Mark's fingers."I'm much better now that you are here, Mark. I am always better when you're around." 

Mark kissed a rosy cheek before leading Tom out into the restaurant. Finding Travis and a waitress waiting, they followed to their seats. 

The waitress, Hannah, led the three boys to a quiet room, filled with older families. Mark pointed to the ceiling of the room, noting small LED lights poking through a midnight blue painted canvas. The lights twinkled, creating various constellations. Tom pointed out a few that he noticed right away, naming them excitedly. 

Travis took his seat in a chair opposite a large bench booth, wanting to look at the large kahuna chief positioned near them and foliage instead of the other patrons. 

Mark slid into the booth, moving over to make room for Tom, who sat entirely too close for anyone else's comfort, but because it was Mark it made him grin to himself. 

Hannah introduced herself and handed out the menus. Pulling out her notepad, she asked, "Can I start any of you off with something to drink?" 

Mark picked up a trifold drink menu that was in front of him. Glancing over it quickly he smiled sweetly to the waitress. 

"I'm feeling in a festive mood. I'll take a Mango Mai Tai." Mark said before placing the drink menu back down and letting his eyes fall on Tom. 

The brown eyed singer swallowed and began to twist his fingertips in his shirt. He glanced at the drink menu Mark had placed down and read the first drink that stood out to him. 

"Can I get a Kahuna Mudslide, please?" He asked before flickering his eyes to meet Mark's squinty blues. Tom unwound his fingers and began to run them over his tan pants. 

Travis looked up and simply asked for a water with lemon. Hannah nodded while jotting down his order. When she finished she looked back and forth between Mark and Tom. 

"I'll just need to see both of your i.d.s please." Tom began to breathe harder as he fumbled in his back pocket for his wallet. 

Mark leaned over, raising his right leg to grab his worn leather wallet and fished out his license. "Please ignore the stupid grin on my face and the pink hair. I was going through a rebellious phase."

Hannah giggled and returned his license while still waiting for Tom's.

Tom thumbed through his wallet, moving over his license to an empty slot. He gulped and looked up to Hannah, trying to appear annoyed. 

"Ugh, I guess I left it on our tour bus back at the hotel. Did you know we're in a band? Yea, an awesome band, maybe you've heard of us? We're Blink 182, I'm Tom DeLonge; the cute one." He gave Hannah a wide cheesy grin.

Hannah smiled politely as Mark placed his hands over his face, feeling his own cheeks tint red at Tom's feeble attempt to distract the waitress and get booze underage. 

"I'm sorry, sir. Famous rockstar or not, no i.d., no alcohol. State mandated, I could get fired for it." Hannah crossed off Tom's order from her notepad and poised her pen to write something else. 

Tom sighed, "Can I get a vanilla milkshake then?" 

Hannah took pity on the young boy and wrote down his new order. 

"I'll tell ya what. I'll have the bartender make it and have him throw in some food coloring so it will look like a mixed drink. I'll even have him put a little umbrella in it too."

Tom gave half a smile and thanked her. Mark raised his eyebrows, full of excitement, "Can I have a little umbrella too?"

Hannah laughed, pushin back her curly strawberry blonde hair. "Absolutely! Your's even comes with a tiny sword that's skewering fruit!"

Mark's mouth dropped open in pure disbelief. "I love this place already."

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Mark rocked gently to the rhythm of the bus. Eyes fluttered, blue orbs resting on a spot on the carpet covered ceiling. 

Mark sighed happily, tilting his chin down to stare at the dreaming boy tucked next to him in his bunk. A smile spread across the older man's lips as he watched Tom. 

Tom's jaw moved up and down as if he were chewing, moving his head and nuzzling Mark's chest. He turned to lay an arm over the bassist's warm stomach. 

Mark let a strand of hair fall into Tom's eyes, not wanting to wake the younger boy. Mark's face grew troubled as the boy's eyes scrunched and eyebrows knit in an angry line.

Turning so he was on his side, Mark placed a soft kiss on Tom's quickly dampening forehead. Leaving his lips against the wrinkles that formed, Mark pressed harder, hoping to erase them as well as the problem Tom was facing in his dreams. 

Mark had never actually been around Tom at the start of his nightmares. He had only encountered the thrashing boy the first time, weeks ago. Tom had insisted on dealing with it by himself at first, only seeking out the older man after waking abruptly. 

Sometimes screaming, other times crying, and only one time soaked in his own urine. That time was particularly difficult for Tom. 

Tom had been deeply embarrassed that night. He had been sharing a room with Mark, protesting when the older man tried to manuver Tom in to the bed he had been using. 

-/- "Tom, I certainly don't mind sharing with you. It's freaking cold in the Northeast. You're a nice little bed heater." Mark smiled at the pouting boy before him. 

"I can sleep by myself, you may be needed by me sometimes, but not always. I'll be fine. You will be right next to me...right?" Tom said uncertain of his own words. Mark nodded and sat on his bed, facing the boy. 

The brown eyed boy walked over to the undisturbed bed, pulling back the sheets as he climbed into it. Bringing a finger up to his lips, Tom bit his nail and spoke quietly to Mark. 

"Mark? Do you have Piggy?" 

Mark wrinkled his nose, shaking his head as he said, "Sorry buddy, I left him on the bus. We were so rushed after the show I didn't have time to grab it and clean clothes." 

Noticing the look of fear fly across Tom's face, Mark spoke up again. "Tommy? You going to be okay? Let me at least watch T.V. with you until you fall asleep."

Tom frowned and scooted down, turning away from Mark, not answering him. 

Mark furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Tom never denied Mark, of anything. He had become quite used to the unlimited attention and affection of the younger singer.

"What so because I don't have Piggy I can't even help you?" He scoffed. 

Tom humpfed in reply and drove his dark eyes into the textured wall paper. 

"Mature, Tom, real mature." Mark rolled his eyes and flicked on the television, finding a show Tom really hated, 'The 700 Club'. 

Mark smiled as he heard Tom groan from beneath the covers. 

Moments later the remote fell from Mark's hand as he drifted off to sleep. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Tom had been tossing and turning as a nightmare ensued in his mind. The brown eyed boy was softly calling out for his friend, his subconscious wishing to be saved.

A particularly dreadful moment in his thoughts caused him to push the sheets down off his sweat ridden body. A gush of warm liquid pooled around his middle, not waking him immediately. 

Tom let out a scream so harsh that no words escaped his lips. Tom sat up, unsure of what had occurred and why he was so rapidly becoming cold. 

Looking around the room, shadows danced over the walls depicting rather alarming images from the fuzz of the television. 

Tom looked down at his lap, raising the covers slightly, and turned his nose away when the smell of his own pee flooded his nostrils. "Oh God." 

Big wet tears began to fill his lashes. His lips wobbled in disbelief. "No, no, no, I did not just wet the bed. I'm 20 fucking years old..." 

Small sobs slipped out of his mouth as he covered it with both hands. He scooted his body to the right, standing and shivering as the pee started to lose its heat. 

Looking at his toes, he hesitated before calling out for Mark. 

"Mark! Please wake up, I don't know what t-to d-dooo..." Tom trailed off, his voice catching on the tail end of his words. He raised his fingers and stuck them in his mouth, so utterly upset.

Faintly, Mark began to resurface from dreamland. Mark sat up abruptly upon hearing a heart-wrenching sob leave a scared familiar body. 

"Tom? Tom what's going on? Hey, it's okay, I'm here." Mark reached out for Tom, retracting his hand when the younger boy pulled away. 

That's when he sniffed deeply. "What's that smell?" 

Mark hadn't said it in a cruel way, he was just curious. Even so, Tom collapsed to the floor in a large, wet, mess. 

"Baby? Hey what's..." Mark had already tossed the blankets to the side as he bent to collect the boy in his arms. He stopped when the smell got stronger and Tom's sobbing grew louder. 

"Oh, Tom, it's okay. Hey, it happens sometimes. Let's get you cleaned up. Don't worry about it babe." 

Mark helped stand the boy up and guided him to the bathroom. Stifling a yawn, Mark flipped on the lights, both men wincing at the sudden flood of florescent lights. 

"Mark... Mark, I peed myself. I don't know what to do..." Tom trailed off, grasping the older man's neck. Mark gave small kisses all over Tom's cheeks, taking away all the tears that had been falling. 

"Don't worry, buddy. Let's get you cleaned up." Mark let go of Tom, reaching behind the sterile looking curtain to turn the knobs, testing the water before lifting the lever that turned the shower on. 

Tom pulled his tshirt off of him, the bottom of it was wet from his accident. He shivered violently before resting his fingers on the waistband of his boxers. They clung to him.

Mark stepped back, holding open the shower for Tom to step into. Tom closed his eyes and rid himself of the wet boxers, leaving them piled on top of the black tshirt. A flush rolled over Tom's entire body, feeling as if he could never be more vulnerable in front of his dear friend. 

Tom stood beneath the spray, enjoying the heat warm his pale body, wishing it were morning and this all was a very horrible dream. 

Mark let go of the breath he was holding and looked back down at a normal level. He had raised his eyes in order to give Tom some sense of privacy, although he wasn't entirely sure it mattered. 

Mark let Tom know he was going to get clean clothes for him and made his way over to Tom's bag, finding nothing of use. Apparently Tom brought the bare minimum into the hotel. 

Mark scrambled over to his own bag, wanting to give Tom a comforting set of clothing. He pulled out his favorite blue cotton tshirt and navy silk-cotton blend boxers. 

Not wanting to leave Tom alone for too long he headed back to the bathroom, but not before stopping to cover up the large yellow stain on the other double bed. 

Pushing open the large white door, he set the clothing down on the counter next to the sink. Not seeing a figure through the curtain, Mark's heart skipped a beat as he pulled back the off-white fabric. A tiny gasp slipped from his lips. 

"Baby..." Mark spoke quietly. He turned off the water and gathered Tom in a fluffy towel. Tom looked at Mark, eyes still clouded by salty tears. He sniffled loudly, and pressed his head against Mark's naked shoulder. 

Mark ran the towel over Tom's damp hair, making it curl and twist in various ways. Helping the sullen boy into Mark's clothes, he patiently waited outside the door for him to finish using the toilet. 

The painted door creeked open, revealing Tom, who shuffled to the older man and fell slightly into his arms. 

Whispering, Tom steadily thanked Mark for his clothes. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, basking in the sweet scent of Mark. A faint hint of Burberry cologne and lemongrass. 

"C'mon baby, let's get some sleep. No more nightmares for you. Not while I'm around." Mark helped Tom into the clean bed and wrapped himself around the younger boy. 

Tom yawned, letting a little mew escape his tired lips. "You always take care of me Mark. Always." 

Mark gave a sad smile and brushed away the curling bangs. Tom's breathing evened out and let Mark know he was asleep once more. 

"I always will be. Maybe one day it'll be because you love me back." Mark whispered to the sleeping face. 

"I will always love you. Chu' chase 'way the nighmares..." Tom mumbled in his sleep. 

Mark's smile turned from sad to pleased, happy he was loved, even if it was by a half asleep guitarist. -/-

Mark was snapped back to reality by the cry of fear leaving Tom's soft lips. 

Mark swept the damp hair off Tom's forehead and tried to gently wake the sleeping man. 

Mark ran his trembling fingers over Tom's young face. 

"C'mon babe, wake up. You never have nightmares when you're with me. What's going on? Tom," Mark tried shaking the younger one's shoulders, "Baby wake up."

"Mark?" Brown eyes flew open, searching for calm blue ones. "Mark oh, it was horrible. I-I-I... just hug me, please." 

Mark pulled the boy in close to him, wanting to take away as much pain as he could. "Tom, what happened? You had a bad dream? Really?" 

Tom hiccuped, pressing his head further into Mark's bare chest. Fingers dug into Mark's arms as Tom nestled his head under Mark's chin. 

He took a shakey breath, inhaling and exhaling before explaining his dream. 

"The tour ended, we were all on our way home, all excited, but a little sad too. The tour bus pulled up to my apartment, and let me out. I reached to get my keys and when I unlocked my door I was pulled into the living room by this monster. It was horrible, the monster locked me in a small room and kept me there, telling me I'd never see daylight again, and I most definitely wouldn't see you or anyone I cared about." Tom stopped talking, looked up to Mark and touched his face with gentle hands. 

"I started to cry in my dream, I called out for you, I was all alone and you weren't coming. I didn't know if I'd ever see you...and I was alone. Mark, I don't want to be alone. What am I going to do? The tour will end eventually..." Panic seeped into Tom's voice.

Mark looked down at the nervous boy, running his fingers through his dark brown hair. He gave a small smile to Tom, brushing away a pregnant tear hanging off Toms's eyelashes.

"Tom, you dont need to worry about that. It's so far away. And there's no such thing as monsters. Don't you know that?" Mark laughed. 

Tom's face stayed serious. "Well if aliens are real who's to say that monsters aren't?"

The blue eyed man stopped mid laugh. He sighed and shook his head, realizing how serious he was. Mark rubbed Tom's back soothingly. "Tom, don't worry. I'll keep you safe from the monsters. And we'll figure out something for when the tour is over, alright? I promise. I'll watch out for you. Everything will work out."

Tom nodded. Mark turned to lay on his back, pulling the younger man partially on top of his own chest. The older man continued to rub small circles all over Tom's back, pausing only momentarily to straighten out Tom's blue shirt. 

"Am I ever going to get my clothes back? You're starting to get quite the collection." Mark hugged Tom tighter. 

Tom let a small grin grace his face. "No. I like them. They smell like you."

"Then I must smell pretty bad because these things haven't been washed in a long time!" Mark laughed. 

The bassist ran his fingers up Tom's back, making the boy shudder. Having thought he relaxed considerably since his nightmare, Mark swallowed and let his own eyes close.

"Marky?" 

Mark opened one tired eye and tilted his head down to meet brown eyes, filled with worry. 

"Yes?" Mark waited for Tom's response. 

"Do you think when the tour is over we can still share Piggy? I think he might miss me..." Tom's eyes dropped, looking to the edge of Mark's blue striped sheets. 

Mark smiled blowing a strand of hair off Tom's forehead. "Tom," he said, "you know, if you want Piggy you can just say it. You don't have to be all shy about it."

A low blush crept on his face, and he looked up to Mark with a tight smile. 

Tom raised his eyebrows, waiting for an answer from the older man. Mark kissed his forehead and told him, "Yes, you can have Piggy anytime you want. I officially give you partial ownership of him." 

Tom squeeked with joy, giving Mark an impulsive hug. 

The two men could hear rustling above them. "Travis is awake, baby. Time to go back to your bunk. We're going to be at the venue soon, I'll see you in a little bit." 

Mark helped the boy crawl over him and pressed a small kiss on Tom's nose as he slid out of the bunk under the heavy curtain. 

"Tom, what were you doing in Mark's bunk?"

"Fuck." Mark whispered to himself. He pressed his left ear up to the edge of the curtain, wondering what Tom would be able to come up with. 

Mark squinted, causing his cheeks to scrunch as well. He listened to Tom stutter, caught completely red handed. He sighed before pulling back the curtain to help bail his friend out.

"He had a nightmare. It's tough to calm down from them on your own, he is pretty shook up by them." Mark wiped his face with a hand before rotating in his bunk and standing up next to his two bandmates. 

Tom's chin, which had been bobbling up and down, stopped and lifted up a bit, causing his mouth to form a small frown. Best friend or not, he had trouble letting Travis be aware of his personal troubles. 

Mark stretched and walked up to the front, falling onto the dinette bench and reached over for a box of crackers that had been left out. 

Travis followed, flopping down on the bench across from Mark and touched his pointer and thumb together in a snapping motion, indicating he wanted some crackers too. 

Mark peered into the bunk area, curious as to where Tom was. He called out for him. Nothing filtered through the air except the harmonious roll of the bus over the paved roads. 

Swallowing his cracker and wiping his hands on his red pajama pants, he stood and walked to the bunk area. Upon passing the bathroom, he heard the flush of their small toilet and waited. 

"You alright?" Mark asked, looking at Tom's bare toes as a distraction, hoping to keep the nervousness out of his voice. 

Turning his head to the side, Tom peered down into Mark's worried eyes. "Why do you look so worried?"

Mark felt as if his tongue had swelled and he was unable to breathe. He ran his fingers through his hair looking everywhere else but Tom's wondering face. 

"Well, uh, I was uh, just you know, worried about where you were or um, if you were upset after, uh, your nightmare. Cause um, you uh, haven't ever had one while you were um," Mark's cheeks turned a bright red and he paused to look into the younger man's eyes. 

He kept eye contact as he finished his sentence. "While you were sleeping with me. It had me worried I was losing my ability to make you feel safe."

Tom's eyes fell to the floor and he turned to the front of the bus, looking to see what Travis was doing. When he saw that Travis was busy looking at a magazine on the couch, Tom turned back to face Mark. 

The taller boy leaned himself into Mark, wrapping his arms around Mark's solid middle and rested his head on the shorter man's shoulder. He turned so he was facing Mark and pressed his lips into his neck, not kissing, just feeling the older man's skin. 

"I think it was just because I was nervous about the tour ending..." Tom whispered, pausing as he thought about something in his head, teeth running over his lip ring. 

Mark's eyes fell on the piece of jewelry as he heard the clink of teeth on metal. 

"You, you said you'd make sure everything would work out. What did you mean?" Tom finished askin his question. 

"Well, I'm not sure, maybe you can get a dog or I can stay with you or-" Mark was cut off by Tom gripping his bare shoulders and looking at him with wide excited eyes.

"You'd live with me? Really? Like, move in? That would be so awesome Mark, I would never be alone then. Oh thank you, thank you!" Tom hugged Mark hard, causing the two of them to fall back against the built in drawers next to Mark's bunk. 

"Um, well," Mark stated while trying to shift the two men to the side because of a drawer handle being pushed into Mark's back. 

"I didn't exactly mean that." Mark scrunched his face as if waiting for a blow from Tom's fist. 

Mark could feel Tom's shoulders slump and opened one eye as he felt the boy pull away. He closed the left eye quickly as he saw the boy in front of him crumbling, looking as if someone crushed every hope and dream he ever had. 

"Now wait a second, baby, I said I didn't mean that but I wouldn't be opposed to it. We'd just have to figure some stuff out because I really like my apartment and you really like yours. So I don't know. But," taking a step forward, Mark tried to pull Tom into him again, catching the boy's tshirt and giving him a hug against his will before continuing, "we have lots of time. It will be fine, we can work something out. Pinky promise." 

Mark held out his right pinky, waiting for Tom to do the same before entwining their fingers. 

"Mark!" Travis's voice carried through to bunk area. "Mark, we're at the venue. Get your half naked ass dressed! And while your back there tell Tom to get some on too! Preferably his own, your clothes reek!"

Mark and Tom giggled. "See?" Mark said to Tom happily, squishing his cheeks together causing Tom to make the cutest little fishy face.

"I told you that my clothes needed to be washed." Mark let go of Tom's cheeks and leaned in to press a simple kiss into the boy's left cheek. 

Mark's suddenly dry lips met with Tom's as he turned his face to look at Mark. Tom gasped as he registered what was occurring. 

Mark gasped when Tom opened his lips, tongues meeting for the first time. Tom's tongue found its way sneaking past the blue eyed man's lips. 

Mark gave a little moan, stopping when he heard, "What the hell are you two doing?!" just inches behind him. 

Travis walked in on the two kissing. 

"Oh fuck." Mark whispered.


	11. Chapter 11

Tom was doing his best impression of a shaking leaf. He couldn't meet the blue eyes that bore into him, questioning him, wide with surprise. Lifting his fingers to his lips, he looked over to meet kind warm eyes on his right.

Pulling away from those kind warm eyes, he glanced over to the curious ones, not lingering too long for fear of seeing hate, disgust, revulsion, and anger. 

The bus shifted on the road, causing Tom to stumble. The nervous man turned and hesitated before crawling into his bunk. 

His immediate reaction was to crawl into Mark's bunk, seeking safety and comfort. However, with what had just transpired between the three, going to the bassist's bunk would appear to be strange to Travis. This was too much for Tom to handle. 

He just wanted to hide. Cry and hide. 

Mark watched Tom's fleeing body, noticing how he first moved to slide into Mark's bunk before stopping and crawling into his own. 

The bassist shoved his hands into his pockets, turning his upper body around to face Travis. 

"Um, so, I guess we should have a chat, huh." Mark looked to Travis to see raised eyes, mouth gaping and a slight...smile?

"Yea, I think that would be good." Travis paused watching as Mark looked to Tom's bunk, the older man straining his ears to detect the younger man's emotional status.

"Did you want to check on him? I can wait up front. Go on." Travis nodded his head towards Tom's bunk before turning and walking up front. 

Travis paused as he reached the divider between the lounge area and bunks. "Mark?" Travis asked.

Mark froze with his hand on the guitarist's curtain. "Let Tom know I'm okay with you two. Confused at how I didn't figure it out myself, but okay with it. Also, we're arriving at the venue in like five minutes. No rush to get into the venue though. No cameras or any of that bullshit."

Mark thanked the drummer and watched as he sat on the couch, reclining and picking up his magazine again. Taking a deep breath, Mark slowly pulled the heavy burgundy fabric. 

Tom was turned away from Mark, hands trembling, covering his face. Tom had tucked his knees into his chest, clutching Piggy for dear life between his forearms. 

Mark kneeled on the ground, resting his elbows on the thin egg-crate mattress. Running a steady hand through Tom's dark hair, Mark whispered his name. 

"Tom? Baby, turn over hun. Why did you run? Travis isn't even upset. Hey, please look at me." Mark waited as the boy turned, keeping his hands, and Piggy, in place. 

Mark heard a muffled sound, letting out a relieved smile. Sounds were good, it meant that Tom wasn't shutting out the world. Moving his hands from the guitarist's hair to the boy's hands, the blue eyed man pulled gently. 

Tom was taking deep breaths in, trying to stay calm as he blinked back tears. One little droplet  escaped and slid over the bridge of his nose, falling into his lashes on his right eye, combining with the welling water there and made its way into Tom's pillow. 

"Did you hear? It doesn't even seem like Trav is bothered by the kiss. I'm going to go talk to him about it. I just," leaning in to plant a kiss on the other man's forehead Mark paused, then continued, "I just wanted to check on you."

Looking with big brown eyes, Tom sniffled and spoke softly. Mark had to turn his ear just to hear him better. 

"Are you, are you upset at me for bailing? I ran, I panicked and hid..."

Mark shook his head slowly. "Not at all, I can handle big ol' bad Travis. You can stay put or get dressed. We're at the venue. Up to you, alright? I'll be back in a few."

Reaching for Piggy, Tom nuzzled Piggy's snout. Peering out from behind wet lashes, Tom nodded at Mark. The older man gave a quick smile before pushing himself up and walked up front to talk with Travis.

"Hey Trav, thanks for waiting." Mark said, pushing Travis's feet off the small couch so he could sit next to the drummer. 

"So what's going on with you two? Are you two dating? I thought you guys were just friends and you were helping him out with the whole having nightmares and the anxiety thing." Travis asked, running his fingers over the piercing in the middle of his bottom lip. 

Travis looked at Mark and scrunched his nose in confusion and asked, "What?" 

Mark sat with his mouth gaping. 

Travis repeated himself, adding in, "Did you hear me, Mark?" The older man cocked his head, still staring at the drummer. Travis tried again, "Yo, Mark ? Earth to Hoppus, come back to reality!" He waved a hand in front of the older man's face. 

Mark turned his head so he could only see the younger man out of one blue eye. "Uh, did you miss the whole me kissing Tom? A guy? Did you not see your very male best friends kissing?" 

Travis shrugged. "I always thought the both of you were gay. It's not really all that surprising. Well, let me rephrase that. I was quite surprised to walk in on you two having your tongues shoved down each other's throats." Travis shuddered, "Preferably I'd rather not ever see that again."

Mark studdered, "I'm-I'm n-not g-gay..." 

Travis placed a hand over his mouth, covering up a smile. 

"I'm not!" Mark protested. "Well, I like girls too. Tom does too. So..." Mark thought, "Maybe we're both. Bisexual. Bi. Whatever it's called." 

"Mark." Travis looked at Mark with a serious face, waiting for the man before him to make eye contact before continuing. "When is the last time you had a girlfriend. Or even a fucking one night stand." 

"I had a one night stand last month!" Mark stated, sending an accusatory glare, eyebrows coming down low. 

"One that didn't leave an hour after you two closed the door?" Travis smirked, and raising his eyebrows when Mark looked down as a blush crawled over his face. 

"You're definitely gay." Travis laughed as Mark pouted. 

The drummer continued, "Well, what's going on with you two?" 

Mark looked unsure. He bit his lip, looking over Travis's shoulder towards the bunk area. Lowering his voice he spoke to the man next to him. 

"I'm not really sure, Trav. I...I don't know. I mean, I know how I feel about him, and not to get too sappy on you, but it's a rather deep feeling." Mark blushed again.

Travis pursed his lips, running his fingernails over his lips. "You haven't discussed any of that? Mark, man, he's in a real tough spot emotionally. He comes undone at the littlest thing. I bet he was crying when you went to check on him just now, right?"

Raising one eyebrow, the bassist looked at Travis, denying all accusations. "He's doing okay...he wasn't crying when I looked in on him. I just don't fucking know. We haven't discussed anything. I am just afraid if I make a move, he's going to feel uncomfortable coming to me in the middle of the night, or he'll keep all his fears bottled up until he explodes. I'm worried about him. I'd rather be there for him than have him be freaking out and being alone with no one to turn to." 

Mark took a deep breath. "Sorry, I just-" Mark was cut off by a loud thump and a small cry from the bunk area. 

Eyes alert, Mark stood, trying to look down the hallway to see what happened to Tom. Travis was leaning over to also look into the bunk area and began to laugh. 

Mark giggled once he realized what had happened. Tom had fallen while trying to dress himself on the moving bus. His dark canvas shorts were around his knees, one foot through the leg hole while the other was bent and up against the bathroom door. 

"It's not funny!" Tom shouted, pulling his shorts off from his one leg and throwing them in frustration at Mark and Travis. 

The laughing grew as Mark stood up to retrieve the discarded clothing. "Tom! Wear your clothes. Stop stealing mine. They need to be washed. Didn't we talk about this before?" 

Tom pouted, sitting on the floor in the middle of the walkway, in just a red Hurley tshirt, pink and white striped boxers and black socks that came half way up his shins, legs spread in a diamond shape with his heels touching. 

Mark tossed his canvas shorts into a drawer to be washed later and opened up Tom's drawer below his. Rummaging around in it, he peered back down to Tom sitting on the floor. 

Finding a decent pair of Dickies, he pulled them out and tossed them onto Tom's lap, turning back to grab a hat for him to wear as well, he said, "You're probably better off putting those on sitting down there."

Tom's pout grew, brown eyes looking up to see if Mark was watching him. Mark whispered, "Those are my boxers by the way...I did notice." Mark placed the hat backwards on Tom's head, smiling when he noticed Tom's pout was replaced by a cheeky grin. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

"Mark! I can't find Piggy! Mark!" Tom stood up, looking again through all the items he had tossed out of his bag and Mark's on the floor. 

"Mark?" Tom called again, looking around the room he was in. He swallowed and walked over to Travis who had been napping with headphones on. 

Pulling one headphone away from the drummer's ear, Tom whispered his name. "Have you seen Mark? I needed to ask him something." 

Tom looked down to his shoes, waiting for Travis to respond. When he didn't, Tom squatted next to his friend and bit his lip. "Travis! Where's Mark? He was just here!" 

Travis frowned and opened one eye. "I'm napping Tom. Leave me alone. We have two hours before we have to do anything. I don't want to be disturbed until one hour and fifty-five minutes from now."

Tom's frown made Travis sigh and close his eyes. He smacked his lips before he spoke again. "I think I saw Chris stop by. Mark probably took off with him."

Tom fell back, his knees coming up to his chest. The boy looked to the door before his eyes landed on his worn black hightops. 

"Do I have to do all your thinking for you? Get your cellphone, open it and call him. Christ, you two have got to get your shit sorted out before you end up becoming a bunch of wet noodles." Travis complained before pulling his headphone back on and resting his eyes again. 

Tom swallowed and scooted away from the slightly older man to fish his silver flip phone out of his pocket. Opening it slowly, he stared at his background for a moment, smiling at Mark's happy face pressed up to Tom's cheek, the older man pressing a sloppy kiss onto him. 

Raising a freshly painted finger, Tom frowned when he noticed a severe shake in his hands. "Screw it." He whispered before holding down the '5' button to auto-dial Mark. 

Waiting for it to ring, he bounced his knees anticipating to hear reassurance in Mark's calm, smooth voice. 

Tom heard the dialing end and giggling come through the phone before a gasping Mark asked, "Hello? Tom? Wha-" 

Mark was cut off by a muffled sound, being replaced by Chris's voice. 

"Hey Tommy boy! I hope you don't mind I stole Marky Marks for a little while." Chris paused to giggle a 'stop it', presumably to Mark. 

Tom, gritting his teeth, waited for Chris to stop giggling before he spoke, "Actually, can I talk to Mark for a sec? I need to ask him something."

Tom sucked in a sharp breath when he heard Chris's response. "No, actually you can't talk to him right now. He's hanging out with me, we're about to start our naked mud wrestling game. Mark!" Chris's voice got a little distant, "Mark, oh baby! Yes! Grab me there! Harder!" 

A fit of giggles ensued, Tom dropped his phone into his lap, head dropping as he tried to get his breathing under control. 

Tom heard Mark's voice come through the small speaker. "Tom? Tom!" 

As Tom's chin wiggled, he closed the phone, cutting off Mark's voice. Looking around the room, Tom tried to focus on anything that could calm him. 

"Fuck, fuck fuck. When did I get so reliant on Mark?" Fingers slipped into his mouth, biting and gnawing on them. His metal lip ring moved around, bobbing and jiggling while Tom sought a source of comfort. 

His brown eyes fell on Travis's resting body. 

Tom stood and walked the few steps to Travis, staring down at the peaceful man. "Travis?" The singer whispered. 

Travis stayed still, unaware of Tom's current state of mind. Moving slowly and deliberately, the nervous man stood by the end of the couch, near Travis's feet.

Raising one leg, he gently placed it in between Travis's feet, pushing himself up and stepping on the couch, Tom paused as the couch cushion depressed, shifting Travis's shoes slightly. 

Waiting to see if the drummer would wake up, Tom stood balancing on one foot, holding onto the lime green walls for support. When Travis didn't stir, Tom lowered himself on to his knees, resting in between Travis's legs. 

Not hesitating, he lowered himself onto Travis's body, wrapping his arms around the drummer's middle, startling Travis awake.

"Dude! What the fuck! What're you doing?" Travis asked, tilting his chin to look at Tom's face, pushing his headphones off. 

A small sob slipped through Tom's tight lips. Travis closed his eyes as his heart broke for the guitarist. Trying a more gentler tone, he asked, "Tom? What's wrong?"

Tom wiped at his teary face with his right hand, quickly moving it back to grip Travis's side. "Mark, he's, he's with Chris a-a-and I need him and he always fucking does this to me! When ever those Kut U Up fucks are around he always ditches me! I told him this, he fucking said he would be different! Why the fuck did I think he would be? Trav, I'm sorry..." Tom got softer, "I needed a hug, I'm sorry for waking you."

Travis shook his head, "Don't worry about it, man. If it's important it's not a problem, don't hesitate to wake me. And this," Travis said as he tapped the corner of his head with Tom's, "is important."

Tom thanked him before clenching his eyes closed. Travis heard a buzzing noise and looked over to his left. Tom's phone was lit up, vibrating and rotating from the movement on the ground next to him. 

Travis reached out for it and looked at the caller i.d. 'Mark Hoppus' was flashing over the outside screen. Frowning, Travis flipped it open with his left thumb and brought it to his ear. 

"Tom! Tom, I'm so sorry, what's going on? Where are you, I'll come get you baby. I left the guys, are you still in the dressing room? I'm like two minutes away!" Mark huffed.

"Mark, I'm going to fucking kill you. Get your ass back here now, your 'baby' is clinging to me, bawling over your dickhead actions." Travis said, lowering his voice making Mark whisper back an "Oh shit."

Travis hung up the phone and dropped it gently on the floor. It landed with a dull thud on the black carpet. Looking down to the boy clinging to him, Travis rubbed Tom's arm trying to soothe him. 

A quiet click signaled Mark's entrance a minute later. The heavy wooden door opened slowly and Mark appeared, scanning the room and looking crestfallen when his blue eyes landed on Tom pressed into Travis's body. 

"You," Travis spoke, barely moving his lips. He pointed a tattooed finger at Mark. "are seriously fucking things up. Get your priorities straight, asshole." 

Mark knew he was in trouble. Moving closer to Tom, he reached his hands out to take the upset man off of Travis, only to let out a little cry when Tom opened his eyes and protested with a loud, "No!"

Confusion flooded Mark's face, dropping his arms and cocking his head as he repeated Tom's word back at him. "No?"

Tom closed his eyes and wiggled, pushing himself down between the back of the couch and Travis's body. Mark's eyes flew up to Travis's, confusion shown in both of their faces. 

Travis tried to reason, "Tom, you wanted Mark, he's here now. Go see him, I'm no good at this comforting shit." Travis sat up, moving away from the couch. 

Tom's eyes shot open as Travis stepped away. "No! Travis, no! Stay with me!" The younger man pleaded, following him.

"Fuck." Mark whispered to himself, realizing that Tom was looking to Travis for help. Not knowing what to do, Mark collapsed on the vacant couch.

Tom didn't need him. Tom didn't want him. Tom didn't love him. 

Mark stared at the pattern on the fabric he was sitting on. His fingers traced over the swirls, biting his lips as he felt the stinging of salt in his eyes. Blinking rapidly he leaned his head back, raising his sad blue eyes to stare at the ceiling tiles, his hands pausing and coming up to wrap himself in a hug. 

Tom was busy begging Travis to stay and let him lay with the drummer. Travis was talking quietly to Tom, attempting to persuade the younger man to go and seek out Mark.

"Tom, Tom shut up. Look, I'm pissed at him too for doing that to you, but he's much better at this than I am. He- look at him, he's so upset you don't want him!" Travis placed his hands on the taller man's shoulders and turned him, forcing him to see the older man. 

Tom looked at Mark in time to see one lonely tear make it's way down his cheek. Tom stared at him, not being able to tear his gaze away. 

Mark pressed his eyes shut, raising a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Fuck." He whispered again as the droplets began to flow freely, following the path of the previous tears. They collected at the bottom of his chin and dripped, darkening Mark's blue collared shirt. 

Tom turned away, looking to Travis before crossing his arms and setting a sour look on his face. "It's an act. A ploy to get me to go to him. Mark never cries, not ever. Not even when he found out his grandma AND dog died, on the same day. He just, doesn't." 

"An act?! A fucking act? Tell me, Thomas, what part of these stupid fucking tears are fake? You know what? Fine. Don't need me. But don't come running to me the next time you're scared or upset or lonely. Because I'll tell you now what I'll tell you then. Fuck off and go to hell." Mark yelled at Tom, causing the younger one to back up, hearing each painful word that came from his best friend's lips. 

Tom backed up right into a coffee table, sending him tumbling onto the floor, landing sprawled out on his backside. Tom scooted back up against a wall, closing his eyes and breathing harshly through his nose. 

Travis looked at both of his bandmates, unsure of what to do. He looked up to the door, hearing a noise, in time to see Chris poke his head through, calling out for Mark playfully. 

"Not a good time, Coté. Get lost." Travis said with such rage Chris backed up and let the door close silently without a questioning glance. 

Tom looked over at Mark, watching as the older man crumbled, face growing blotchy and the gasping sobs leave him. He watched as he pulled his knees to his chest, resting his face on them and begin to rock.

Mark rocked harder as he got more worked up. Tom didn't even notice Travis sit next to him until he heard his voice. "Tom, just listen. Hear me out. He screwed up, a lot. He may have even caused you to lose your trust in him. But, he's your best friend. You are his best friend. Right now, you might say you don't need him, but he really needs you. He's the one that needs you. That never happens. So go be there for him, show him that you still care, because I know that you do. He's done absolutely everything for you. Go, help him. Stop him from crying, he's really not a pretty crier." 

Tom chuckled at the drummer's last comment. Nodding, Tom sighed and stood up. Wiping his face on the bottom of his tshirt, he slowly walked to the couch. 

Sitting beside the rocking man, he watched as Mark continued, not missing a beat. Tom tried doing what Mark would normally do to him when he needed to calm down. 

Whispering his name, Tom raised and lowered an arm around Mark's shoulders. He pulled the rocking man into a hug, taking his other arm and wrapping it around Mark's knees. 

Trying to calm Mark, Tom pulled him close, laying a long kiss on the upset man's temple. "Shhhhh, Mark." Tom looked at Travis, unsure if he was helping at all. 

Travis rolled his arms, signaling for the boy to continue. Mark was slowing in his rocking motion. He moved to lay his head on Tom's chest, letting his tears fall on Tom's white Billabong tshirt. 

"Mark? I'm sorry, Mark." Whispering into the bassist's ear, Tom ran his right hand up and down the older man's side, leaving his left arm gripping the slow moving knees. 

Tom continued talking softly to Mark. "I'm sorry I got mad at you for hanging out with Chris, it's just...you said you'd be different and wouldn't forget about me. All I wanted was to ask you where Piggy was. I don't know why I was mean to you. Please don't cry Mark, I don't like it when you cry. It makes me feel so horrible." 

Tom began to hush Mark, helping the shorter man turn in his arms so that they were looking at each other, face to face on the couch. Tom carefully placed a nervous hand on either side of Mark's face. Wiping away at the tumbling tears, the younger man whispered, "I need you." 

Mark looked into the warm brown eyes that were so close in front of him. He gave a shuddered sniffle and tried to break eye contact. Refusing, Tom bent down, twisting his upper torso so he could look into Mark's dark blue eyes with a smile.

"Sowwwwwy Maaaaaaaarky" Tom said, using a baby voice. Tom leaned further into his friend's lap when he noticed the left corner of Mark's lip twitch, moving upwards into a crooked smile. 

Dark brown hair pushed against Mark's chest, causing the older man to recline on the couch. Tom curled up on top of the bassist, wrapping an arm under Mark's back. Tugging on the blue eyed man's hands, the younger man enveloped himself in Mark's arms. 

"That's better." He whispered, closing his eyes. 

"Hey!" 

Both sets of closed eyes opened to look over at their drummer, looming above them with his hands on his hips. "What the fuck, Tom. You think you can just commandeer the couch like that? Go get your own. I was here first!"

Tom nodded against Mark's chest. Slowly a smile spread over the two's mouths. 

Travis glared at them before moving to the opposite end of the couch where he had been laying previously. Pulling Mark's black Addidas sneakers so they were hanging off and pushing Tom's black hightops into the back of the couch, he made room for himself. Travis slid his sock covered toes over Mark's hips, crossing them and pulling his headphones back onto his head.

He glanced at his watch before mumbling to his bandmates, "One hour and thirty-five minutes. No one wake me up unless someone's dying."

Giggles could be heard through the headphones, coming from the pile of limbs.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

An hour and fifteen minutes passed by, the pile of friends lay unmoving until Steve walked into the dressing room irritated. 

"Boys! Get your asses up! I have been trying to call all three of you for the past fifteen minutes!" 

Steve's loud voice startled Mark, causing Tom to stir against his chest. Tom nuzzled Mark before opening his eyes and realizing Steve was staring at the three very straight members of Blink 182 all huddled together on one couch. 

Mark sat up, letting Travis's feet fall off of him causing the drummer to wake up with a string of curses. The younger man pulled his headphones off and glanced at Mark and Tom, who were trying to make it seem they had not in fact just been cuddling on the very tiny couch. 

Travis groaned as he checked the time. They still had a good solid fifteen minutes before they had to go do the meet and greet. 

Steve stormed out of the room, telling Mark and Tom to change their shirts and get over to the meeting room. When the door clicked shut Tom fell against Mark's back, not wanting to get up just yet, wrapping an arm around his waist. 

Yawning and rubbing his face, Mark let his elbows rest on his knees and chin land in the palms of his hands. Tom wiggled his way so that he was now curled around Mark's waist, his energetic face staring up at Mark's drained one.

"Can we talk later tonight after the show? I want to tell you a few things." Mark said.

The smile dropped off Tom's face, making Mark lean down to give him a reassuring kiss on the forehead. "Nothing bad, don't worry."

Travis looked around at the clutter on the floor. "Tom, you need to clean this shit up. What a fucking mess." 

Tom tried explaining, "I was having a difficult time, I was looking for Piggy and couldn't find him!" 

Tom turned to Mark after sitting up and raised both eyebrows. Mark raised one eyebrow himself and rubbing his chin while thinking. 

Sticking one finger up to indicate he had thought of something, he stood and looked through the mess for his napsack. Flipping over the bag so one narrow side was facing up, he unzipped a pocket revealing the light pink plush toy. 

Tom's face lit up as he held open his arms for the pig. Catching him, he brought the toy's snout to his nose and snorted at it. 

Travis burst out laughing, "You, my friend, are ridiculous. I think something's wrong with you."

Tom quickly pulled Piggy down, turning a dark pink color and sticking his tongue out at Travis. 

Looking over to Mark, Tom noticed the older man had picked up most of the items he had tossed out in his search for the small toy. 

"Thank you, Mark!" Tom said, watching the older man roll his eyes and reply, "I only did it cause I screwed up earlier and now we're even."

Tom caught a shirt Mark tossed to him, noticing it was Mark's black Atticus tshirt. Letting a silly smile fall over his face, he thanked Mark again. 

"Yea, yea..." Mark mumbled, blushing while looking over at Travis who was pulling on a pair of old red Vans.  

Mark pulled on a faded blue Beatles tshirt and opened the door, waiting for Tom to place Piggy in his backpack and looked back to Travis. 

Travis was bent over his own bookbag digging through it. He was muttering to himself. "Fuckin' A. Where are they. I put them here. How is this. Absolutely rediculous. Finally!" 

The drummer triumphantly held up a pair of drumsticks above his head. Turning to his friends and sliding the wooden sticks into his back pocket, he informed them he was ready to go. 

The three left the room, making their way though the hustle and bustle of back stage to the meeting room. On their way there, they passed Chris standing with a group of guitar techs. 

"Hey! Hey Mark, can I catch you for a second?" Holding out his right arm, Chris waved over the Blink bassist. 

Looking back at Tom, Mark saw the smile fall. Mark wrapped an arm around the taller man's shoulder; ignoring Chris's calls. Mark pulled Tom down into a half hug, half noogie session.

Tom's fallen smile was replaced by a loud high pitched laughter, perhaps too high and too loud, making sure Chris would hear it. 

Walking into the meeting room, Travis, Tom and Mark took their place at the table set up. Tom ran a hand through his hair, trying to smooth out the damage caused by his best friend. Mark played with the pile of permanent markers that were on the table, waiting for the doors on the other side of the room to open. 

Right before the double doors clicked open, Tom felt a hand on his right knee. Brown eyes sparkled as they met with Mark's. 

Tom opened his mouth to say something to Mark, but was cut off by the roar of screaming fans that were filing into the room. 

'Later' Mark mouthed to the younger man, both turning to watch as young girls and boys jumped up and down, clutching disposable cameras and various items to be signed. 

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"That show rocked, Trav, I can't believe you broke two drumsticks! Way to give it your all." Mark slapped Travis on the back as they filtered into the van. 

Two hours ago they had been playing an awesome show at a music festival in Hartford, Connecticut. After waiting for the fans to clear out, Blink and Kut U Up were sitting in a van riding to the Hyatt hotel in downtown Hartford. 

Mark was sandwiched between Tom and Chris in the very back. Travis sat with Brandon and Brendan in the next row and Micah was up front with the driver. 

Tom covered a small yawn and leaned his head against Mark's right shoulder. Chris bumped shoulders with Mark excitedly announcing that they will have to party once they get back to the hotel, holding up two bottles; tequila and gin. 

Mark turned to Tom, who had been violently knocked off the older man's shoulder at the rough movement and gave a small smile. Crossing his eyes and sticking out his tongue, Mark got a sleepy smile in return. 

After arriving at the parking garage, the seven men hopped out of the van and ran to the elevator. Well, five men ran, two walked slowly behind them. 

"You alright, Tom?" Mark asked the younger boy, throwing a friendly arm over the taller man's shoulders. Tom nodded through a yawn. "You want to just skip the festivities and I'll just tuck you in?" Mark asked, sneaking a kiss onto Tom's forehead.

"But, you want to hang out with Chris, don't you?" Tom answered with a question of his own. 

Mark shrugged. "Well, yea I do, but if your tired I can stay with you."

Tom bit his lip as they reached the elevator. All the men filed in and Chris held up the two bottles again. 

"Alright, who's ready to meet my friends Jose Cuervo and Seagrams?" He asked while jumping up and down, making the elevator box jolt and swing as it carried them from the parking garage below ground to the lobby. 

Mark tilted his face so he could see Tom's reaction. Tom nervously looked to the ground, then to the gold bottle in Chris's left hand. 

"Let me see your friend Jose. I'm gonna make him my bitch." Tom said, taking the bottle out of Chris's hands and opening it, taking a long swig before coughing roughly.

Mark laughed, smacking Tom on the back before looking to Chris. "Let's get this party started!" 

The friends all cheered, moving from the parking garage elevator to the hotel elevators across the lobby. While waiting for the hotel elevators to arrive, Chris made his way to the receptionists. He flirted shamelessly and winked over at Mark.

Mark just shook his head and took the bottle of tequila from Tom, passing it to Brandon and squeezed Tom's shoulders. 

"Take it easy party animal." Mark quietly spoke to Tom. 

"Just trying to wake up and enjoy the 'festivities'" Tom said, raising his hands to make quote marks in the air when he said the last word. 

"Can we chat real quick before we meet up with them?" Mark whispered to Tom, pulling back when Chris came back to board the elevator with them. 

Mark waited for an answer from his younger friend. After walking off the elevator he got a nod. Mark opened his hotel room telling the rest of them that he needed to change his shirt then Tom and himself would join them in Chris's room. 

Mark, trying to gather his thoughts walked over to his bag and pushed clothing aside, looking for a new shirt to wear, keeping up with pretenses of why Tom and him needed to stop in Mark's room. 

"Tom, come sit with me." Mark sat on the gold fluffy comforter and patted the bed next to him for Tom to sit. 

Tom lowered himself next to the older man, giggling when he sat too close to the edge and slipped off. Gripping Mark's arm, he attempted again to sit, laughing to himself over nearly falling. 

"I think I'm going to have fun tonight." Tom leaned forward, pressing a sloppy wet kiss on Mark's cheek, near the bassist's mouth. 

Squinting one blue eye, Mark observed Tom. The younger man was titling his head back and forth, making him lose his balance and bump into Mark. 

"Buzzed already, Tommy?" Mark laughed. 

Tom smiled wide, showing all his teeth. "Possibly..."

Mark smiled back, running a hand over his face. "Well, I guess we'll talk another time then. I want you sober when I talk to you."

"Okay, Marky! Does that mean we can go meet up with everyone else?" Tom asked, hugging Mark roughly. 

Leaving a kiss planted on the top of Tom's head, Mark stood up pulling up the tipsy boy. Tom grabbed a brown baseball hat and placed it onto his head slightly sideways. 

"I like this hat. Don't you like this hat? It says 'S D'. Sandy Aigo. I mean," Tom paused; giggling at his mistake and tried again. "San Diego. Yea. San Diego rocks. Because my Mark is from there!" 

Tom followed Mark out into the hallway and slipped his fingers into the older man's walking down three doors to Chris's room. 

Mark gave a small hug to Tom before knocking on the door. Chris opened it moments later shouting, "Heyyyyy! You made it! And you brought the entertainment! Thomas! Get up on the bed and dance!"

"Oh boy." Mark whispered watching as Tom pulled himself away from the older man as he hopped up onto the bed, asking for alcohol first. Upon retrieving some he proceeded to thrust into the air and turn, shaking his ass to the general direction of the people gathered in the room. 

Chris giggled, throwing an arm around Mark and whispering into his ear, "After these guys take off we should chill, just you and me."

"Nah," Mark answered, pouring himself some gin and looking around for a mixer. Seeing the tonic water, he poured some into the red plastic cup. Swirling it around with three ice cubes, Mark tried to elaborate why he wouldn't hang out with Chris alone. 

"I've got to watch out for Tom. He's going fast and is going to be done for the night soon, I can just tell." Mark sipped his drink, trying to keep the smile off his face as he watched Tom hang all over Travis, having decided the bed was no longer fun. 

Travis pulled Tom's arms off of his waist and pushed him towards Mark, shaking his head at Tom's antics. Biting his lip and giggling, Tom strut over to Mark and placed himself in between his bandmate and Chris. 

Hip checking Chris, Tom bent his head down a couple inches, whispering "Mine," into Mark's ear. 

Mark blushed, looking down into his drink. "This is going to be a fun night Tommy. Not such a fun morning for you though." 

Taking the drink from Tom's hands, he brought it to his nose. He sipped it, trying to not gag at the taste of straight tequila. Looking at the table, he searched for the orange juice. Pouring a lot into Tom's cup, he began to swirl it like he had with his own drink, trying to reduce the speed Tom would consume the alcohol. 

Tom noticed his drink was not in his hands. Reaching out to take it from Mark, the older man pulled it away shaking his head, telling the boy to wait. 

Mark found the skinny glass bottle of grenadine and poured in a splash of that as well. Handing the drink back to Tom, he explained quietly, "Here. It's a tequila sunrise. Go slow, baby."

Tom took the drink, sniffing at it and taking a large gulp. Blue eyes rolled, and Mark repeated himself, "Go slow, Tom!"

Chris had distracted himself by finding a video camcorder. He walked up to Mark and Tom, the little red light blinking above the lens.

"Hey guys! Say hello to the camera!" Chris cried out. Panning around to the rest of the guys, everyone waved. Chris brought the camera back to Mark and zoomed in on him. 

"Mark, I can see up your nose, Mark." Chris said, turning the camera sideways. 

Tom let his head drop to Mark's shoulder. He began talking to the camera. "Hi Chris! This is my Mark. He's my best friend. Isn't he just the cutest?" 

Mark looked off camera, hoping for some kind of distraction before Tom said something that would be too scandalous. 

Tom continued talking to Chris, babbling on about how awesome Mark was and how much he enjoyed the drink he was consuming. Overhearing a part of Micah's conversation, picking up on one particular word 'alien', Mark got his wish.

"Oh my God," Tom gushed, "Aliens are real you know. Yea, the government tries to hide it but, hey, hey Mark! Can we go to Area 51 when the tour is over?" Tom was distracted by his own conversation.

Mark laughed, nodding and watched as Tom jumped up and down. He continued, "So yea, they're real. I had a dream about them the other night. They were really tiny and kept hitting me in the head. Then they crawled up my chest and said in this really gnarly voice 'Hey Tom! We've come to make you really happy!' and," Tom paused, finishing his drink, letting out a large belch and continued, "and then they walked down my chest to my pants and went 'ziiiiiiiip' and they took out my di-"

"Okay! That's enough, hey! Brandon lets see how many shots you can take!" Mark cut off Tom's words, fearing what would be said next on camera. 

Tom's face had fallen. "Mark! You made the camera go away!" 

Mark threw an arm around his shoulder, pulling him in close before saying, "You will thank me one day." 

Tom got a really goofy lopsided grin on his face. "Like when I'm president?" 

Mark nodded and finished off his own drink. 

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Fourty-two shots later, the seven men were laying in various directions over the hotel room. Mark stacked his three shot glasses with Tom's seven on the bedside table he was near. 

Tom had informed Mark that he was not going to sleep he was just resting his eyes. Mark looked at Tom, his mouth was hanging open and his hat was falling off his head. 

Looking around, just Travis and Brandon were awake, sitting and leaning against the wall by the sliding glass door. Travis waved, noticing that Mark was conscious and moving around. 

"I'll see you guys tomorrow. Me and the kid are going to go crash." Mark rubbed his face and pulled at Tom's arm. Mark managed to get Tom to his feet, not being able to let him go due to his swaying body. 

"Come on Tom, let's get you to bed." Mark pulled his friend's arm over his shoulder, holding tightly to Tom's right hand and left hip. 

Tom's head flopped onto Mark's shoulder. Stepping over Chris's passed out form, Mark led Tom out into the hallway and back to his room.

"Babe, I just got to let go of you for a minute, got to get our key card out." Mark whispered to Tom, hearing the boy mumble a slurred response.

Finding the key in his back pocket, Mark swipes the key card and unlocks the large chalk colored door. Keeping the door open with his foot, Mark leans back out into the hallway and picks up Tom, carrying him cradled against his chest onto one of the queen sized beds. 

Mark stares at Tom, watching as the boy takes steady slow breaths. Running a hand over Tom's face, the older man watches as the peaceful sleeping boy sighs. Mark lets his lips glide over Tom's alcohol laced mouth. 

"Tomorrow. Tomorrow's the day I say I love you." Mark whispered before pulling off the sleeping man's clothes, moving the man around to get him under the covers. 

Moving to shut the blinds on their balcony door, Mark slides back into the bed he had just tucked Tom into. Wrapping an arm over Tom's chest, he kisses the brown eyed boy's temple. 

Mark mutters to himself as his eyes drift close, "Course, I say that now, still intoxicated from the three shots I stole from you, baby. Ten shots would have killed you!" 

Tom grunts in his sleep, turning on his side and pressing his back into Mark's chest. 

"Yea, tomorrow." Mark sighs, letting his breathing sync with Tom's. A smile is on both of their lips.


	12. Chapter 12

Hard rude knocking awakens Mark. Grimacing as he peels open a dry itchy blue eye, he lifts his head to look at the door. 

"What the fuck." Kicking off the covers, Mark tries to sit up. The knocking continues.

"Way too fucking cheerful..." Mark mutters to himself. He rubs his dry eye and turns to look behind him, noticing one loved guitarist is missing. 

The knocking continues, a double tap every three seconds. 

"Just hold the fuck on!" Mark shouts, his voice taking on a raspy tone due to the alcohol and show from the previous night. 

Mark stumbles to the door, tripping on Tom's discarded clothing. Scratching at his stomach, Mark reaches out to unlock the hotel door. 

A wretching sound stops him, instead turning to open the door to the sterile bathroom. Pushing it slowly, Mark frowns as he takes in the scene in front of him. 

Tom is leaning over the toilet, hanging his head so far in, the water in the bowl surely must be touching the tip of the boy's nose. Tom has his left arm perched on top of the rim of the bowl, wrapping along the back of it. His head comes back up as a round of vomiting subsides. 

His nose is running, eyes watery and closed. Tom takes a deep breath in, Mark watches for a moment more as the younger man's bare chest moves in and out. 

Mark smiles a little as he sees the the dark hairs trail down over the tiny pudgey belly. His dark green boxer shorts are pulled up on his thighs, leaving little to Mark's imagination. 

Tom leans in again to the toilet bowl as another wave of last night's regrets washes over him. Mark ignores the knocking as he quickly makes his way to crouch beside the sick boy. 

"Aw baby, let it out. You'll feel better soon." Mark whispers, rubbing a rough hand over Tom's damp back. 

Tom finishes for the moment and looks back to Mark. A small sob escapes his body. He pulls himself off the toilet and leans into Mark, steering clear of Mark's face, knowing he looks like a train wreck. 

"Next time listen to me when I say go slower!" Mark admonishes, reaching out to unravel some toilet paper. He balls the thin squares and wipes Tom's eyes and nose. Tossing the used toilet paper into the white bowl, he flushes it. 

"I'm never drinking again. Ever." Tom sniffles, pulling away from Mark to crawl back to bed. 

Mark stands and follows part of the way, watching as Tom slowly makes his way across the tan carpets. He walks back to the door, letting Tom know he would be right next to him in two minutes. 

Opening the door, Mark squints as the bright hallway lights flood his dark cool room. 

"Wow, it smells like death in here." Chris cracks a smile as he walks past Mark and into the dark room. 

Not seeing Tom huddled under the covers, Chris sits at the bottom of the bed, bouncing a bit as Mark closes the door and makes his way to his backpack to pull on a pair of shorts. Mark turns on a lamp next to the small table his backpack was resting on. 

Chris glances back, noticing the small curled up lump only after it groaned at the movement of him boucing on the bed. The Kut U Up bassist turns back to see Mark's khaki shorts slide up and over his boxer clad ass. 

Chris whistles and smiles again as Mark blushes, quickly turning off the light, cloaking the three men in darkness. The older bassist shuffles to the top of the bed and scoots under the blankets, quietly running his fingers over and through Tom's hair soothingly. 

"Chris. Did you need something?" Mark asks, trying to figure out a way to rid the younger man. Turning on a small bedside lamp a dim light shone upon the cranberry walls.

"Yea, I wanted to get breakfast with you guys. My gang and Travis are all set to go. Figured we'd go walk around till we found a place." Chris twists his body to look at the older man. He bites his lip as he notices how close Mark is to the huddled lump. 

"Why are you two in the same bed?" Chris asks, glaring a little at the moaning pile of blankets. 

Mark stills his hands, Tom's soft hair weaved through his fingertips. Tom shuffles under the blankets to rest his head on Mark's thigh.

"Um. Well, he's hungover. And he doesn't like being sick, so um, I'm helping him." Mark swallowed as he answered.

Chris shrugged, "Whatever. It's not gay if it's on tour!" The shorter man stood up and walked over to the balcony curtain, opening it and unlocking the sliding door. 

Stepping onto it he peered back in, calling out for Mark to join him. Mark raised a hand to cover his eyes, cursing at the bright sunlight. 

"What the hell, Chris. Get the fuck back in here and close the shades. It's too fucking early for this shit." Mark complained, sliding down under the covers. Tom's head fell to the side, coming to rest on Mark's shoulder. 

Chris stomped his feet as he re-entered the room he closed the sliding door and shades. Walking towards the full bed he began to whine, "But Markyyyyy, it's almost noon! We're hungry. You're going to get left behind."

"I'll survive." The mumbled voice rasped. 

Mark turned under the covers as he heard a small laugh leave Tom. A huff and a door slam let both covered men know Chris had left the hotel room. Mark leaned forward, angling his head to try and kiss Tom on the lips. 

Tom pulled back, turning and burying his face in the downy pillow. A long 'no' could be heard from the depths of the pillow.

A sad soft, "Hey!" came from Mark. Turning and laying an arm over Tom, the shorter man pulled the boy closer. 

"No," Mumbled Tom, "I have puke breath."

Mark laughed and pressed a kiss into Tom's ear. "Go brush then! I want a good morning kiss." Mark playfully nudged the bashful boy with his shoulder. 

"In a couple hours. When I don't have residual alcohol seeping out of my pores. I'm pretty sure that if you kissed me, you'd become drunk." The brown eyed man giggled and turned away from Mark, wiggling back so that his boxer clad body was glued to Mark's half naked self. 

"Fine." Mark agreed, kissing the back of Tom's head and leaving his nose nuzzled in his hair. 

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"C'mon Tommy, it's time to get a move on. We have today off, I want to go exploring." Mark spoke to the younger man, walking around the hotel room, searching for his royal blue Quicksilver hoodie. 

After thumbing through Tom's napsack, he found it and pulled it on over his black undershirt. Sniffing at a pair of black socks, he threw them back into his bag before pulling out a white pair of crew socks. 

Walking into the bathroom, Mark pulled out his green toothbrush and ran it under the water. Pulling out a nearly empty toothpaste tube, Mark rolled it on the edge of the counter.  Extracting a pea sized bead of paste, he rubbed it onto the bristles and brought it to his mouth. 

The bassist ran the skinny green toothbrush in small circles over the white enamel. Spitting out into the ceramic sink, Mark let the water fall over the askewed bristles, watching as the toothpaste foam slid into a small whirlpool near the drain. Bringing it back to his mouth, he rinsed his mouth, spitting out the remaining mint flavor.

Placing the toothbrush back into its pink travel tube, Mark let the cool water pool in his hands before letting go and watching as the water splattered onto the counter. Running his hands through his hair, he raised one eyebrow at his reflection before nodding in approval. 

"Tom! Why are you still in bed! Let's go!" Mark had walked back to the bed, noticing Tom had not moved an inch since Mark had last spoken to him. 

A muffled sound could be heard, but the individual words were unclear. The blue eyed man crept quietly over to the covered boy and threw back the celestial themed blankets. 

Mark's curiosity was peaked when the younger man's arms quickly shot out, gripping the fitted sheet below him, as if his life depended on it. Tom's toes curled, causing Mark to wonder what he was doing.

Mark ran his fingers over the younger man's sides, eliciting a small squeel from him. Tom scooted closer to the middle of the bed, not turning over. One eyebrow arched over a deep blue eye. 

Mark climbed onto the bed, moving to sit on the back of Tom's thighs. He could feel Tom tense beneath him. The dark green fabric of the boy's boxers stretched as Mark's knees pulled on it. 

Reaching one calloused finger out, the bassist poked the younger man's right side. Tom twisted, reacting to the poke.

"Why you acting so weird?" Mark asked, moving to lean forward over Tom's back. Mark tried to ignore the way the younger man's smooth back felt against his chest. 

Tom's breath hitched from the other man's actions. Mark had pressed his fully clothed body into the brown eyed man's, who was wearing nearly nothing. 

Tom turned, his brown eyes wide and alert looking into Mark's wondering blues. "Mark," he started, trying to push his hips and chest further into the sheets.

Tom parted his lips, taking deep breaths through them. The taller man bit his lip before continuing, closing his eyes not wanting to see Mark's reaction to his next words. 

"I'm... fuck. I'm fucking hard, okay? You're not making this any easier on me." Tom croaked, feeling the heat roll over his body.

Mark didn't budge. 

Swallowing and opening a nervous eye, Tom witnessed a flush in full bloom all over Mark's face. The hoodie straps swung with each breath Mark took, lightly hitting Tom in the cheek. 

Tom's eyes followed a shaking hand as Mark reached a finger out, running it up his chin and over a gauged earlobe. Pulling on the piercing slightly, Mark slid off the younger man, keeping just one leg thrown bent across the back of Tom's knees. 

Tom closed his eyes as he felt Mark's finger continue over his neck, catching on the metal beaded necklace that hung tight around Tom's collar bone, and down the middle of his back. 

Mark's fingers swirled at the base of the younger man's spine, causing goosebumps to appear all over Tom's arms and back. Tom shuddered, losing himself in the feathery light touches of Mark's hands. 

Mark was watching the side of Tom's face, noticing every little freckle and mark. He stared intently as he flattened his hand on the boy's back, waiting to see Tom's reaction. 

The boy stayed still, causing Mark to swallow before he twisted his hand and let his pinky slide under the loose elastic waistband. 

A small gasp left Tom's lips, eyes never opening though. Mark waited a moment, waiting to see if Tom would tell him to back off. 

When Tom didn't utter a peep, Mark rotated his wide hand, letting more fingers glide under the dark green fabric. Mark brushed his fingertips over one cheek, letting all four fingers run down the crevice and up over Tom's other cheek, going lower. Mark's entire hand was in the other man's boxers. 

Mark paused when Tom squeezed his eyes tighter. A small rocking motion began as the taller man gently thrust his hips into the bed. Mark could feel the muscles below his right hand tighten. 

"I can stop..." Mark whispered, trailing off. 

"No!" Tom panted. The guitarist opened his eyes and looked into the older man's. Sucking in the silver lip ring, Tom began to twist his upperbody. He let go of the sheet below him and gulped, turning completely over on to his back. 

Mark hadn't removed his hands, instead watching as the fabric twisted, sliding over his knuckles. Feeling every hair, bump, and dip as his fingers trailed over Tom's ass, hip and then front pelvic bone. Mark didn't dare move his hand any further. 

His eyes fell on the large tent in the center of Tom's boxers. Mark slowly moved his eyes up the younger man's body, starting at the dark strip of hair that lead down below Tom's belly button, up to the pink erect peaks of his nipples and over to the colorfully inked skin of a cityscape. Glancing up to meet Tom's eyes, he saw the heat that danced in the brown orbs. 

Mark's eyes flitted down to Tom's wet lips, watching as his tongue came out to lick his bottom lip. Pulling the lip back in  Tom's straight teeth ran over it, biting at the flesh. 

Mark flexed his fingers, spreading them out to feel the smooth skin he couldn't yet see. He kept his eyes one moment more on Tom's pink lips before traveling back down to the forest green cotton. 

Feeling the bassist moving his fingers once more, Tom's eyelids fluttered closed. A jolt of electricity ran through the younger man's body, causing a moan to fall from the guitarist's lips. Tom arched his back, his hand moving up to grasp the fabric on Mark's back. Mark froze, distracted by the sounds leaving the younger man. 

Moving his finger purposefully now, Mark rubbed his finger in a small circle, coming closer to Tom's throbbing member. A moan escaped Tom again, his head moving back, eyes falling on the headboard above him, fingers gripping the sheets and Mark's hoodie. 

Mark touched the taller man's cock again, causing the thick flesh to jump. Mark bit his lip while a smile crossed his face, butterflies dancing in the pit of his stomach. 

Moving his hand over a bit more, Mark's fingers slid through a slippery spot on Tom's abdomen. Tom was breathing hard now, his cock bouncing up and down, tapping the top of Mark's hand before stretching out into the confining fabric repeatedly. 

Mark pulled his hand out from Tom's boxers. Tom whined the older man's name at the loss of contact, landing his brown eyes on the older man  in time to see Mark look directly into Tom's eyes and slowly lick the pad of his finger.

"Oh fuck me." Tom gasped, not realizing how his curse would be interpreted in his clouded mind. 

Mark smirked, raising an eyebrow at Tom's comment before responding, "Now, that's moving kind of fast, don't you think?"

Tom blushed.

"Do you want me to stop? I won't go too far, but I've been wanting to touch you for so long now." Mark pulled more of his finger into his mouth, watching as Tom soaked up every motion, as if Mark were his prey. 

"I... want to go as far as you think is right. I trust you." Tom  answered, staring at the older man's lips wrapped around his finger. 

A popping noise occurred when Mark extracted the finger. As he sat up, the blue eyed singer folded one knee below him and bent his right leg over Tom's bare legs. Looking into the brown eyes for the go ahead, Mark slipped his first two fingers on each hand under the green waistband. 

Tom's eyes broke contact with Mark's as he watched the older man's fingers waiting, caressing his hips. 

"Do it." Tom ordered. 

Not wasting a second, Mark pulled the fabric down over the younger man's hips. Tom lifted his middle so that the fabric could come all the way off. 

A blush rolled over his entire body, feeling Mark's eyes staring at his now free and fully erect cock. 

"Fucking beautiful." Mark mused, not looking at his own hands as he slid the boxers down and over Tom's knees, moving his own leg out of the way before letting the guitarist kick them off the rest of the way.

"Mark?" 

The bassist tore his eyes away from Tom's groin in order to peer into the younger man's own browns. He waited for Tom to continue his thought. 

"Um, this is embarrassing. I'm totally out in the open here." Tom avoided Mark's gaze, instead locking his eyes on the ceiling. 

He didn't see the crestfallen look wash over the older man's features. Mark leaned over to pull the blanket over Tom's naked body. 

Feeling the sheets touch his legs and glide over his waist, Tom corrected Mark, further explaining what he really wanted to say.

"No, no. I don't mind being naked in front of you..." He hesitated, staring at the zipper on Mark's shorts. Gulping, the younger man continued, whispering, suddenly shy in front of his best friend. "I just don't want to be naked by myself." 

Mark smiled, relieved as he watched Tom kicked the covers off, revealing his bare skin again. Unable to take his eyes away from Tom, he quickly peeled his hoodie and tshirt off in one go. Pulling his leg off of Tom, Mark kneeled on the bed. 

Mark slowed down once he saw Tom watching, eyes full of desire. Unbuttoning the cargo fabric and slowly unzipping them, he wavered, taking one last look at Tom's throbbing cock before pulling his shorts down. He sat back down to finish taking them off, letting the shorts land unceremoniously on top of his other clothing. 

Mark was sporting his own tent. Kneeling above Tom again, he reached to pull down his own light blue boxers briefs. 

Tom's hand stopped him, gripping the bassist's wrist and speaking softly. "I don't think I can handle seeing you naked just yet. I'll fucking explode. That would be traumatic."

Mark raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Seeing me naked would be traumatic? That's not nice..." Slightly hurt, Mark dropped his eyes.

Tom touched Mark's chin with the gentlest of hands. "No, not seeing you. Me cuming without you even touching me, that would be traumatic for me. I don't think I'd be able to look at you without getting embarrassed." 

Biting his lip, Tom looked at Mark's boxers, trying to not imagine what was beneath them. They had seen each other naked before, but they never stared and they certainly never were this turned on in front of one another before. 

Mark sat back down next to the sprawled out man, leaning his body weight on one hand, effectively propping himself up. Lifting his right hand, he trailed it over Tom's smooth hip, getting close to the base of the singer's cock, but not touching. 

The brown eyed singer was twitching with anticipation. 

Mark's fingers circled closer, causing Tom to involuntarily thrust into the air. Whimpering, Tom whispered, "I'm not going to fucking last long. Don't judge. You've been teasing me for way too long."

Mark smiled, making eye contact before wrapping his strong fingers around the base, squeezing slightly and laughing quietly as Tom let out a loud moan and closed his eyes. "I'd never judge you, baby." 

Mark connected his fingers to his thumb, raising his hand slowly up the length of Tom's cock. He loosened his grip once he got to the top, running the pads of his fingers over the glossy top. Mark bit his lip, feeling the silky sensation of the pre-cum. His thumb ran over the slit before sliding down to the underside of the head. 

Mark paused at the loud moan that came from the writhing boy beneath him. "You like that? Like when I touch you there?" Mark asked, repeating the action, his voice going lower.

"Fuck yes." Tom moaned again, thrusting his body in deeper to Mark's hand. 

Mark brought his hand down to the bottom of Tom's length, before bringing it right back up and giving the tip a short stroke, focusing the slightest bit of pressure on the underside of Tom's head. 

Tom moved his arms and legs so he was spread eagle. His chest moved up and down rapidly, Mark knew he was close. Keeping his hand wrapped around Tom's large cock, stroking the length of it, Mark moved his head so his lips were close to Tom's ear. 

Pulling the small earlobe into his mouth and running his tongue over the black piercing, he whispered, "I'm gonna make you fucking see stars when you cum for me."

Those quiet words were the very being of Tom's undoing. 

He exploded, back arching and spraying himself with hot cum. Mark continued to pump the convulsing cock until every last drop left his shaft, leaving soft kisses against Tom's neck as he came down off his high. 

Mark lay next to Tom, running his hand up and down Tom's side, trying to resist pressing his own aching hard-on into the brown eyed man's hip. 

Mark ran his fingertips over the four small white scars right below Tom's hip, stretch marks from his youth. Tom grew nearly seven inches in such a short amount of time as a young teen. 

A moment passed before Tom spoke, still gasping for air. "No stars. Fucking fireworks is what that was. God damn, Mark. Where the hell did you learn that shit?" 

Mark smiled, finally giving in and pressing his cock into Tom's hip. Pressing one final kiss into the heated skin of Tom's neck he responded, "Lots and lots of porn."

Mark ran his fingers over the smooth skin at the base of Tom's cock. "I didn't know you shaved." Tom pushed away Mark's fingers, turning to hide his blushing face.

Mark sat up and moved to get off the bed intent on having a few private minutes in the bathroom. He readjusted himself in the tightening blue cloth and met Tom's confused eyes.

Tom grabbed for Mark's wrist, the sticky liquid on his stomach beginning to dry. "Where do you think you're going? You just gave me the most amazing handjob."

Mark blushed, looking down at his own erection pressing through he cotton fabric. "Gotta take care of some things."

"But..." Tom trailed off, looking down at his own softening member and mumbled, "I want to try."

Mark was surprised to hear those words. "Are you sure?" He asked. "I don't want you to think you have to."

Tom let go of Mark's arm, reaching for a tissue on the bedside table, to clean himself up. "Are you deaf?" He grumbled, running a wadded tissue over his stomach. "I said I want to. Want. Course I'm fucking sure."

Mark chuckled, "Alright, alright. You don't have to get angry over it. I don't want you getting pissed and ripping my cock off."

Tom threw the tissue in the general direction of the trash can. "Get over here." He demanded. 

Eyebrows raised, Mark lowered himself onto his back next to Tom. 

Tom sat up and wasted no time in yanking the blue fabric off the older man's legs. 

"Holy shit, go slow. I did not think you were going to be this fucking dominant- fuck. Oh fuck." Mark lost track of his words as Tom gripped the middle of Mark's cock and lay in between his spread legs. 

"You do this to me, Mark. Drive me fucking nuts!" Tom gasped in between running his tongue over Mark's inflamed flesh. 

"Shit. Fuck. Agh. Fuck, Tom. You're, oh my dear Lord, boy! I'm gonna. Ah! Shit, Tom, shit, right there!" Mark screamed as he felt his eyes roll back. 

Tom had taken the entirety of Mark's head into his mouth, sucking gently on it, while moving his hand up and down the thick shaft. Hearing Mark get louder, he took more into his mouth. Tom attempted to swallow as much of Mark's hard cock as possible. 

Without much warning from Mark, and under a minute of Tom's tongue and lip ring running over the length of his cock, Mark exploded deep in Tom's mouth. 

Tom closed his eyes, trying to swallow the salty thick liquid that poured out of the tip of Mark's cock. Nearly gagging, Tom managed to finish it all. 

Panting, Mark ran his hands through Tom's dark hair. "Fuck, Tom. How the fuck did you know how to do that...and swallow on top of it? I thought my cock was going to fall off. Damn."

Tom blushed, kissing the dark patch of hair next to the base of Mark's still hard shaft. "I did lots of research too."

Mark waved Tom up, motioning for him to come into his arms. Barely letting Tom reach him, he pulled the younger man's lips to his. Trying to convey more than he thought possible to say, Mark gave a passionate kiss on Tom's lips. 

Laughing as he felt a pout form on Tom's mouth, he pulled back. "What. You're not supposed to be upset at me right now."

Tom tried to stay serious. "I never brushed my teeth. That's nasty. Puke, morning breath and cum? Yucky."

Mark laughed, pressing a kiss into the pouting boy's forehead. "I don't care." He said.

Tom snuggled into Mark's naked body, burying his face in the older man's neck. "I'm so happy right now."

Mark squeezed Tom's tattooed shoulder before whispering back, "Me too, babe. Me too."

The two stayed silent until Mark's phone began to ring. Sighing unhappily that their peace had been disturbed, Mark picked up the black cell. Looking at the name and cursing, he answered.

"Yes, Chris, what do you want." Mark looked down at Tom, who had pressed himself into his side, both bodies still warm with the excitement of their previous events. 

"Feel like getting turned on?" Chris's voice tumbled through the tiny speaker, making Mark cough and Tom smile against Mark's chest. 

"What? Don't laugh at me! We got back a little while ago and we're getting anxious to cause a ruckas. Travis said there's a hot tub up on the roof. We're going to go hang out in it. You should come join us." Chris bargained.

Before Mark answered, Tom nodded his head, pulling at Mark's naked hip and kissing his neck. 

"Yea alright. Me and Tom will meet you guys up there." Mark said with a smile. 

"Oh." Chris hissed, "He's still with you?"

Mark got defensive, "Yea he is. What's your deal with that anyways?" 

Ignoring Mark's question, Chris said his goodbyes and hung up. Mark let his phone drop to the floor. He sighed before getting up and rummaging through his bag for swimming trunks.

Finding his palm tree board shorts, he slipped them on, passing Tom his plaid blue ones to wear. Tom got his on slower, not in any sort of rush to see Chris. 

"Ready?" Mark asked, pulling a white tshirt over his head. 

Tom nodded, walking out of the bathroom having finally brushed his teeth. Bending down, he extracted Mark's black tshirt from his blue hoodie. "What?" Tom asked the older man, pulling his head all the way through the hole. Mark was watching him with a small sweet smile. 

Looking down at his bare toes, Mark wiggled them and replied, "Nothing, you're just cute wearing my clothes all the time."

Tom blushed, walking to the door and waited for Mark to follow. The two men walked to the elevator silently. Mark reached a finger out to call the elevator. 

"Sorry we didn't get to the exploring you wanted to today." Tom apologized. 

Mark turned and smiled shyly at the taller man. "I'd say we had a fantastic time exploring other things though, wouldn't you?"

Tom giggled recalling their exploration.

A quiet 'ding' could be heard as the metal doors opened. Tom whistled innocently as Mark pressed the button for the roof and leaned against the wall of the elevator. 

Watching Tom, Mark smiled. "After this, you and I are going to talk. I got something I wanted to tell you last night, but you decided that partying with your buddy José was more fun."

"Please," Tom begged, covering his mouth and looking at his bare toes, "No mention of alcohol of any kind for the rest of my life!"

Mark bit back a smile, walking off the elevator as it reached the roof. The two men walked into a small enclosed glass porch. To the left of them were two large brown doors marked 'Restrooms'. To the right, the exit to the outdoor patio; a glass door with which Mark could see his friends, gathered around a large hot tub. 

Taking a step around Mark, Tom nodded to the bathroom doors. "I'll meet you out there. I got to pee real quick." 

Mark hesitated before Tom gave him a small shove. "I'll be fine, I haven't panicked being by myself in a while. Just," he paused, peering out to the rooftop patio, "don't go anywhere else."

Mark nodded and walked through the glass door. Tom could hear all sorts of cheers as the heavy glass door closed quietly, enveloping him in silence.  

Turning, he walked into the bathroom, wanting to return to Mark's side as quickly as possible. Walking up to a urinal, Tom unvelcroed his swim trunks and took care of business. After washing his hands he took large steps to get to the door, starting to feel a little nervous. 

Leaving the bathroom, he stepped across the enclosed porch and pushed open the door Mark had just passed through. He squinted his eyes against the bright sun, wishing he had thought to bring sunglasses. Tom scanned the group of men quickly for Mark's spikey hair. 

Mark was shirtless, submerged under the steaming, bubbling water. Chris was at his side, babbling on about something bass related. 

People turned to view who had joined the group. Smiles were shared and Tom cautiously waved to them all. Travis was by a cooler talking with Micah, dark shades pulled over his eyes. Tom hesitated before he started to walk towards them, feeling uncomfortable with witnessing Mark cozy with Chris. 

Mark watched from the corner of his eye as Tom looked down at his toes, hands making their way up to thumb the black fabric. 

"Tom!" Mark called out, "C'mon and join us! It will do wonders for your hangover."

Tom paused, fingers entwined in the dark cotton. Biting his lip, he made his way over to the large jacuzzi and tested out the water. Looking up to meet Mark's eyes, he smiled before beginning to tug at Mark's shirt that he was wearing. 

Chris, who had been watching the actions between the two bandmembers, decided he had seen enough. Chris stepped to the middle of the tub, wading by the stairs that descended into the hot tub. 

Chris watched as Tom pulled his shirt off, dropping it on a nearby lawn chair. Running a hand self consciously over his chest,  Tom climbed the four stairs and plunged a toe into the steaming water. 

Tom slowly sunk into the bubbling tub, moving around Chris to try and sit near Mark. Tom was wading through the water when he felt a hand wrap around his waist. The brown eyed man fell back against Chris, alarmed at the unfamiliar close contact.  

Chris hugged Tom, making kissing noises and pulling him to the opposite side of the hot tub. Tom looked helplessly at his blue eyed bassist. Mark began to move forwards, trying to not get let his feelings show. He laughed forcibly as he waded in the hot water, moving closer to his trapped friend. 

"Oh, no, no my friend. This boy is mine. Back off, find your own!" Mark proclaimed, reaching out to pull Tom away from the other bassist. 

The guitarist blushed as he floated through the water, letting himself be pulled onto Mark's lap, sitting sideways on top of him. Tom's legs floated in the hot water. 

Chris's mouth dropped open, shocked by the bold words that left Mark's mouth. He watched as Mark whispered into Tom's ear, causing the younger boy to blush again and fall against Mark's bare chest. It was almost a loving gesture. 

Tom darted his head to the left, away from Mark's lips as the shorter man tried to steal a kiss. "No, Mark! There are people around!" Tom protested.

"C'mon, Tommy. I told you, I don't care if they see. I'm tired of Chris hitting on me. End it, kiss me." The older man whispered, wrapping an arm tightly around Tom's waist. Fingers gently pulling on Tom's happy trail, hidden beneath the bubbling bath. 

Tom pushed away Mark's hand, turning to look at the blonde bassist. He paused when he saw the glow of jealously flair in Chris's grey blue eyes. A small, satisfied smile grew upon Tom's face. 

Looking around at the rest of the two bands that had gathered on the roof, he noticed all were occupied with conversation. Tom leaned back, reclining onto Mark so that his head rested on his best friend's shoulder. 

Looking directly at Chris, the singer turned his head just slightly, quickly letting his own lips touch Mark's dry ones. Mark's smile grew, hugging Tom tightly. 

Moments later, Chris stood and abruptly left the rooftop patio. Tom shrugged when Travis made his way over to the hot tub, asking what scared off the Kut U Up bassist. 

Travis climbed in the bubbling tub, complaining of the heat and taking Chris's seat in the group. He raised one eye at the cuddling friends, no one notices his questioning glances though. 

He pushed his shades up further, letting a happy smile grace his face, happy his two friends finally got their shit together. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

"Tom? When you're done we need to talk." The blue eyed bassist called out into the bathroom. Steam filtered out, clouding a mirror hanging on the back of the hotel bathroom door. 

Mark continued to talk to himself, wringing his hands as he paced the camel colored rug. "I need to fucking do this while I still have the balls to do it. Fuck. I wish I had a cigarette."

"No, cigarettes are bad for you. It'll mess up your pretty voice." Tom spoke, startling Mark as he walked back into the room, a towel loosely wrapped around his waist. 

Tom smiled at Mark before taking confident steps towards the man, teasingly saying, "Your 'boy' as you refered to me earlier says 'no way'." 

Mark gave a small smile before walking over to the balcony door and sliding it open. Beckoning his younger friend to join him, he stepped out into the warm setting sun. 

"Let me throw on some shorts, I'll be right there." Tom gave a reassuring smile to Mark, pausing to watch the older man sit on the cushioned plastic chair before nervously rising and leaning against the railing. 

Cocking his head to the side, Tom watched Mark lean his head back, holding on to the railing. Rolling his shoulders, Mark leaned forwards again before placing his head into his hands. 

"Jeez, what's got him all stressed out?" The brown eyed man pondered, pulling up red jersey knit boxers. Looking down at the material he just pulled on, he smiled to himself. "Mark's boxers. I wonder if he'll mind..."

Tom trailed off before finding a pair of jean shorts and stepping into them. "Probably not." He reassured himself. Zipping his fly, he ran a hand through his hair for damage control and stepped out onto the balcony. 

Hearing Tom's light footsteps, Mark turned to give a smile before sticking his hands in his pockets. 

Waiting to see if the older man would speak first, Tom raised both eyebrows. Mark was biting his lip, rocking on his feet. 

"So...I have something I want to tell you. It's um, kind of tough for me to say. I've been trying to work up the nerve for quite a few days now." Mark swallowed, looking up to meet bright brown eyes. 

"Shit, this is a lot more difficult when I have to say it loud enough for you to hear." The bassist tried to calm himself down. Sucking both lips into his mouth, Mark reached his arms out to pull the taller man into a hug.

Leaning his head down onto Tom's shoulder, he squeezed tighter. The younger man reached his arm up to pat Mark on the back. 

Tom spoke softly to Mark, starting to get a tad bit nervous over what the older man had to say. "Just spit it out. You're starting to freak me out."

"I'm scared too. I won't be able to take it back and if you aren't happy by it I don't want my heart crushed and things are just so perfect right now I don't want to mess it up. Crap, you're right I just have to spit it out. So hear goes." Mark rambled, taking a big breath before opening his mouth to speak. 

"I kinda sorta really like you. Like more than I'm supposed to, like to the point where I really fucking think I love you. No, screw that, I don't think it, I know it. I'm falling really fucking hard for you. I-I-I love you." Mark let go of Tom, peering into his face before squeezing his eyes shut. 

Tom stayed quiet, in shock of the words that tumbled out of Mark's mouth. Mark froze, fearing what he thought was a look of disgust on the younger man's face, shoulders moving heavily up and down with each shaking breath. 

"Mark?" Tom whispered, taking a step closer to the still man. Tom placed his own slightly shaking hands on the older man's forearms.

"Mark, look at me." The moment Tom saw the flash of blue from behind Mark's long eyelashes, the younger man swooped his head down, pressing his lips into Mark's dry parted ones. 

A small happy sigh left Mark's lips, soaked up by Tom's eager mouth. The two touched foreheads, neither man speaking. 

"I think I'm falling hard for you, Mark. I love it. I love you." Tom closed his eyes, enjoying the quiet moment with his best friend. 

Mark didn't dare move, afraid all that was happening would dissolve and he would wake up from a dream.

"You're my best friend, Mark, I think I always felt this way. It sort of amplified after the nightmares started. You were this huge source of comfort and I needed to have you near me." Tom kissed Mark one more time before stepping away and lacing his fingers with his new found love. 

"Tom?" Mark followed Tom back into the hotel room, fingers still threaded together. 

The guitarist looked back at Mark, giving a small smile. 

"Tom? Does this mean you'll be my boyfriend? Oh Wow." Mark stopped, smacking himself in the forehead with his free hand. 

Tom raised a pierced eyebrow in confusion.

"That sounded super gay," Mark scoffed again, "Holy shit. I can't say that anymore. That sounded stupid, can I just start over?"

Giggling, Tom nodded. Mark pressed his lips firmly together before grunting. 

"Ugh, whatever this is going to sound wicked stupid any way I say it. Be my boyfriend?" He asked hopefully.

Bringing a thoughtful finger to his pierced lip, Tom took a moment, pretending to debate in his mind. He raised one palm face up, looked at it then raised the other one in a similar fashion. Weighing both hands back and forth he looked to Mark.

Tom couldn't help but crack a smile, laughter bubbling over. "Yea, I'll be your booooooyfriend." The younger man teased. 

Mark pushed Tom playfully, reaching out to hug him quickly. Letting go, Mark reached in to find a tshirt for Tom. Throwing it at him, he picked up his tiny cellphone dialing a number. 

While waiting for the device to dial, Mark spoke to Tom. "Get your shirt on. You're going to go hang out with Travis for a bit."

"What? Why?" The brown eyed man protested, letting a frown fall upon his face.

"Because- hey Trav," Mark raised a finger, motioning for Tom to wait. "What are you doing right now? Yea? Do you mind if I drop off Tom for a little bit? I have to run an errand without him. Alright, awesome. Thanks buddy."

Mark closed his cellphone and chuckled at the pout that took over Tom. "Don't be upset, baby. I just need to go get a few things. Would you rather stay by yourself?"

Mark laughed as Tom violently shook his head, dark damp hair falling into his eyes. 

"Okay then. Grab a magazine or something to bring to Trav's room. I need to go pick up a few things for my new boyfriend. He's super cute and I want show him how much I like him." Mark said, busying himself with lifting items off their bed, searching for his wallet. 

Tom blushed as he picked up a space magazine and waited for Mark by the door. Mark swung an arm around Tom's shoulders, pressing a wet kiss into the boy's temple, before opening the door and stepping into a long hallway.

The two walked across the carpeted corridor. Mark knocked on Travis's door, sneaking a look at Tom. His bare foot was tapping on the tan and green carpet, right thumb twisted in the fabric of his shirt. 

"Tom? What's bothering you? You're nervous." Mark softly questioned. 

"I, um, well." Tom paused before biting his lip. "Will you be gone long? What if Travis needs to leave? I'm still nervous about being left alone. Remember when I went to the bathroom up on the roof?" Tom waited for a nod of acknowledgement before continuing. "Well, I got scared. Even though I told you I wasn't, I really was. Shit-I, Mark I don't want you to leave!" 

Tom clutched the older man, digging his nails into Mark's black zip up. Mark brought an arm up to give the younger boy a one armed hug. 

"You'll be fine. Travis won't leave you. I'll be 45 minutes, an hour tops." The blue eyed bassist reassured. 

Mark let go of Tom as the lock could be heard unlatching from the inside. The older man walked into Travis's hotel room, noticing two beautiful girls sitting next to one another on the bed closest to the window. A skinny long haired blonde and a tall brunette with a pixie hair cut. Mark waved at both ladies before turning to Travis. 

"Thanks for helping me out, dude. I appreciate it. Um," Mark paused looking at the two females once again, then to Tom who had perched himself on the small couch in the corner. 

"He's not too happy I'm having you babysit. Just don't leave him alone, you know?" Mark rubbed the back of his neck, watching as Travis nodded. 

"Yea it's cool. I'll keep an eye on him, you think just an hour?" Travis asked, moving to sit next to the blonde girl on the bed.

Mark nodded, walking over to Tom. Checking to make sure the coast was clear, Mark angled his body so that the two woman could not see his next action. "Babe? I'll be back in less than an hour." 

The standing man leaned in close, pretending to look out the window behind the couch Tom was seated on. Leaving a kiss on Tom's temple, he stood ruffling the worried man's hair. 

"Catch you guys in a bit. I won't be long!" Mark gave a wave to Travis and his guests, smiling at Tom as he sat with a pout, pulling his legs up to rest his chin on his knobby knees. 

At the door, Mark turned, feeling deep brown eyes on him. Tom was watching him, a small frown barely visible past his knees. 

'I love you!' Mark mouthed to the boy. 

Closing the door behind him, Mark mirrored Tom's grin. "Damn, I'm so happy I told him." He mumbled to himself as he waited for the elevator to the main lobby.


	13. Chapter 13

Mark walked through the glass sliding doors into a pharmacy in search of something special. The singer was on a mission to gather a few small items to bring to his new boyfriend. 

He strolled through the aisles shoving his hands in his pockets and letting a smile roll across his lips as he thought of Tom.

Tom was something special. He made Mark feel complete. The bassist wanted to find something to give to the younger man that would be able to show Tom how important he was to him. 

Picking up a red basket and looping his right arm through the metal handles, he continued walking through the aisle. His blue eyes scanned the items nearby. 

He bit the inside of his cheek, walking to the end of the aisle and raised his eyes to look at the grey triangular sign hanging above him. 

Moving to the back of the store, Mark found himself in the toy and magazine aisle near the pharmacy counter. Scanning the magazines he was startled to see his own eyes staring back at him. 

He was standing next to Tom and Travis, an arm thrown around the brown eyed man's shoulders. Tom had a huge toothy grin plastered on his face, head tilted leaning against Mark's shoulder. 

Picking up the tabloid, Mark thumbed through the pages. He bit back a giddy smile when Tom's puppy dog eyes flirted with the camera. His fingers were laced and brought together against his stubble free chin. 

His arm was slightly inflamed and shiny, having decided to get a new tattoo the night before a photo shoot, a last minute decision. Tom had pulled the taped plastic wrap off moments before the picture was taken. The memory reminded Mark of Tom's first tattoo. 

-/- "C'mon, Tom, you don't need one tonight. We can come back another time." Mark pulled on young Tom's arm, trying to avoid a scene. 

{::} Mark may or may have not gotten Tom accidentally extremely drunk. 

Tom had been upset. His parents had another fight, resulting in the younger man showing up at Mark's house late one evening. 

Tom let himself in with the spare key knowing Mark's mom and sister had been away on a Girl Scout retreat. 

Young Tom had knocked softly on Mark's bedroom door, thoroughly embarassed that Mark had a girl over. A half naked girl wrapped up in the bassist's light blue bed sheets.

Mark had promised it wasn't a problem, pulling on a shirt to cover his thin chest. Tom waited in the dining room, seated in a high back wooden chair staring into the dark mahogany table. 

A flutter of long brown hair and red cloth went by, causing Tom to look up in time to see Mark following the girl to the door. 

They kissed goodbye; Tom's brown eyes squinting, not being able to take his eyes off the two. The girl's hands weaved their way into Mark's bleached hair, forcing Mark to lean in further and longer. 

Tom made himself stare at his chipped fingernails instead of the girl's perfectly polished ones. He heard the door close and Mark's footsteps enter the dining room. 

"I'm sorry." Tom whispered, moving his focus from his nails to his jeans, pulling at the worn denim and twisting a finger into it. 

Mark took a seat next to Tom, assuring him that Samantha understood and he didn't mind either. Tom continued his finger twisting until he felt Mark's warm hand over his, pulling the shaking digits away from his clothing and into the air. 

Mark pulled Tom so that he was standing and led him to his bedroom. The ranch home was small, but homey. The hallway was filled with photos of Mark and Anne growing up.

Tom's eyes slid over them, not having nor needing to look at them.Tom had studied the photos countless times in previous mornings this summer, waiting for Mark to wake up and shower. 

One photograph was of Mark posed, sitting at the bottom of a ladder, with overalls and a bucket of red paint next to him- maybe three years old. Mark kissing Anne as a baby, Mark wearing just a tshirt at the front door, the picture had been taken from behind- seven years old. Mark's school pictures each year up through graduation.   

As Tom followed Mark, stepping onto the plush blue carpeting, he felt immediately at ease. Tom crawled into Mark's bed, taking a deep breath and submersing himself in Mark's scent; trying to ignore the sickeningly sweet perfume that 'Samantha' had doused herself in. 

"What's up buddy?" Mark asked, taking a seat on his floor next to Tom's reclined body. Tom's toes hung off the edge of the twin bed. Mark stared at them, watching as they wiggled, anxiety returning to the younger boy. 

"Mom and Dad. They were fighting about me again. Dad said it was Mom's fault I might not graduate. That if she kept better track of me she'd know I wasn't going to school everyday. Mom said it was his fault because he never was home to set a good example for me. She was busy working to keep the roof over our heads. When he was, he'd be drunk off his ass and incapable of being a father." Tom sighed deeply, moving to rub a small tear that had formed against his wishes. 

Mark frowned, noticing his action and stood up. He slapped Tom on the knee, telling him to never fear. Mark walked to his closet and dug around at the bottom, near the back. Pulling out a bottle of Popov, Mark shook it, swirling the clear vodka and creating a small tornado inside. 

Tom licked his dry lips, biting at the bottom one. Mark sensed his hesitation. So many things could cause him to pause. Last time he had drank, he got kicked out of school and had to move to an entirely new school only six months ago. While it had been the catalyst for bringing the two new best friends together, it had driven his parents even farther apart. 

Mark coaxed the younger man into it anyways. 

Mark wanted an outlet. While he had his hands around Samantha, his heart had been on someone younger, more unsure and therefore in constant need of attention and compliments. A certain young and very illegal, off limits singer with a tendency to whine his words. 

And Tom had no clue. 

So twelve swigs later, Mark had himself a very touchy-feely young singer who needed his utmost attention. Mark was only so glad as to give it to him. 

Tom took another gulp of the cheap alcohol and looked over to Mark who was laying next to him on Mark's pastel blue floor. 

"Hey Mark?" Tom asked, waiting for Mark to return his gaze before continuing. "You think I'm ever going to get out of this place?" 

Mark's heart dropped, whispering without thinking, "God I hope not." 

Tom squinted one eye, looking at Mark closer with a wrinkled nose. "Huh?"

"Uh..." Mark sat up, trying to think of what to say. "Um, I mean, of course you are! You and me and maybe that kid, Scott down the street, can form a band. We'll be fucking famous and get all the girls we want. And the good stuff, too." Mark covered quickly, raising the half empty bottle.

Tom was quiet again. 

"Hey Mark?"

"Yea, Tommy?"

"I want to call us Blink. And we can have a bunny be our mass...mass...masscut? Moosecat? What's it called?" Tom looked at Mark, brows furrowed.

"Mascot?" Mark answered, raising both eyebrows with a smile.

Tom snapped his fingers and pointed to Mark. "That's it! I was close. You're so smart Mark."

Tom leaned closer to Mark and gave him a sloppy kiss on the cheek. The older man blushed and busied himself with cleaning under his nails. Mark enjoyed drunk Tom. 

"Paper! I need paper!" Tom sat up and began to crawl on all fours over to Mark's desk. Digging through Mark's bottom drawer, he pulled out random items in his search for a piece of paper. 

A green toy lightsaber, plastic dog poop, a deflated water wing, Captain Hook's hook, and a black eyeliner pencil. 

Tom picked up the eyeliner and looked at Mark with one eye open. 

"You wear makeup?" He questioned, swaying slightly on his knees.

Mark blushed, turning to face the younger man. "I used to, at my old school. Kids made fun of me though so when I moved here with my mom I stopped."

Tom dropped it to the floor before saying, "Hmm. Guyliner. I bet you looked pretty and they were jealous."

Mark reached up to rub the back of his neck, chuckling at Tom's comment. 

"Paper is in the top center drawer. Pens are in the left top one." Mark informed the brown eyed man. 

Tom managed to sit himself in the wooden chair at the desk, scooting in till his knees hit the back of the desk. He began to draw furiously. 

Letting curiousity get the best of him, Mark stood and moved behind Tom, watching his every movement. Tom, even in his drunken state, was able to draw a wonderfully detailed rabbit. 

The rabbit had one foot raised, was shirtless and wore jeans with a chain. He held a carrot in his right hand and had one long ear bent. Tom completed the drawing after drawing a near perfect circle around the rabbit. 

He replaced the pen and proudly beamed as he showed his artwork to Mark. 

Mark took the paper from Tom, his fingers brushing against the younger man's. Mark nodded in approval and handed it back to Tom. 

"Nice, man. Look's good." Mark grinned at Tom's drunk smile. 

"I wanna get it tattooed." Tom stated, holding out his left arm and pointing just below his inner elbow. "Right there. Now. Let's go!" 

Tom pulled at Mark's arm, trying to get him to follow him out the door. Mark followed dumbly, in shock until the two buzzed friends reached the grass outside.

"Um, Tom? Two things. You're drunk and you're no where near 18. You're crazy. How bout we get some sharpies and just draw it on." Mark tried to reason with Tom as the boy reached for his skateboard, falling into the grass as he bent over to pick it up. 

Tom lay in the grass frowning up at his older friend. "Marky..." The brown eyed boy began, "I don't like it when you remind me how much older you are. I hate being told I'm too young. It fucking sucks. Besides," Tom paused, reaching into his jeans pocket and pulled out a small card. 

Holding out the plastic laminated item between two fingers, Mark took it from Tom, inspecting it closely. "Matthew Allan Miller, born December 13, 1972, brown eyes, 5'10."

Mark looked down into Tom's smiling face. "This is the worst fake i.d. ever. It's like, half a foot shorter than what you really are. What are you going to do? Slouch the entire time?"

Tom sat up quickly and snatched the card from the skeptical man in front of him. "Well, all I had was 80 bucks so I couldn't complain when my guy screwed part of it up." 

Mark laughed before helping Tom stand up. "Whatever, I'm still older than you."

Tom stuck his tongue out at Mark before stepping onto the paved driveway and placing his skateboard next to his dirty Converse. Tom lifted one foot onto the board and pushed off, rolling down the sidewalk in front of Mark's house. 

Mark rolled his eyes, running to grab his own skateboard from the bushes near his mailbox and pushed off as well, using his left foot to catch up to Tom. {::}

Which led the the two friends to rolling down the street to a local tattoo parlor and Mark desperately trying to avoid Tom making a stupid decision. 

Tom brushed off Mark and walked up the large concrete steps, stumbling a little after opening the door and looking back to the older boy. 

"You coming?" He asked, holding the door open with his soon to be inked arm. 

Mark frowned before gathering the two skateboards and carrying them into the dark smokey building. Tom was already at the counter talking to a large burly man, who was covered in tattoos including on his shaved head and had piercings galore. 

Tom slurred slightly in his speech, explaining his drawing with the correct colors and where he wanted it to go on his body. Tom looked back to Mark, directing his words to his friend, "Mark, you think the Blink bunny should go on my arm or on my ass?"

Mark swallowed quickly, looking at the bald man behind the counter who raised both eyebrows in reaction to Tom's drunk words. 

"Arm, definitely arm." Mark answered, turning to look at the tattoo samples on the walls and mumbling to himself, "No way in fucking hell is that guy going to see Tom's ass before me."

Tom turned back to the man, and said pleased with Mark's approval, "Okay! Arm it is!" The tattoo artist asked Tom for payment and identification. 

Tom pulled out his fake i.d. and a wad of cash, twisted and crumpled in only a way that Tom could make it. Two twenties were in the shape of paper cranes. 

The man accepted the money and asked for 'Matthew' to follow him into the back. Tom turned to Mark, calling out his name, requesting him to follow too. 

Mark hesitated before placing the two boards in a corner and fell into step behind the younger man. The tall bald man walked into a small room, covered in red and black paint that looked like it had simply been splashed onto the walls. 

Tom faltered in the doorway, suddenly unsure and becoming the slightest bit more sober. Mark nudged him in the direction of the chair, moving to sit on a stool in the corner. 

Tom sat in the black leather dentist looking chair and watched as 'Mike', as he had learned upon walking into the small room, prepared the electric tattoo machine and a photocopy of Tom's drawing. 

Tom swallowed, resting his left arm on the arm rest, palm facing up. His right hand twisted into the bottom of his shirt, suddenly realizing exactly what he was getting himself into. 

"Mark? Please?" Tom spoke softly, releasing his black tshirt and held out a slightly shaking hand. Unable to tell him 'no', Mark scooted the stool so that he could sit next to Tom and gripped his hand lightly, wincing when the younger man squeezed and threaded their fingers. 

Mike placed the photocopy onto Tom's arm, running his latex covered hands over the spot before pulling off the paper. A perfect copy of the drawing was on his arm, ready for the tattoo needles to make their way under his pale skin. 

Mike picked up the needle and clicked it on, a quiet buzzing noise filled the air, seeming louder than the Metallica music that was playing in the background. 

Tom watched with large eyes as Mike brought the machine closer to his skin, finally squinting both eyes shut and turning away, bracing himself against Mark's shoulder. 

"Dude, this fucking hurts." Tom said between clenched teeth and deep gasps. 

Mark watched with one blue eye as the black pigment filled the lower layers of Tom's skin. "I heard it feels like someone's scratching at you. The worst place is on your wrist or top of your foot. Then again, you have the lowest tolerance for pain. Big baby."

Mark continued to hold Tom's hand, moving his free hand to cover the top of Tom's. The blue eyed man rubbed his thumb over the younger man's own thumb soothingly. 

Tom whimpered as Mike completed the circle and got close to a sensitive spot on his arm. 

"Almost over Matthew, you'll need to come back for the color another time." Mike said to Tom, interrupting his quiet string of curses. 

Mike finished and applied a generous amount of goo, wrapping it in a gauze bandage. He gave instructions to Tom to keep it covered for no more than four hours and handed him a packet of info on how to care for his new tattoo.

Before walking out the front door, he made a follow up appointment to fill in the color and shading. 

Tom hugged Mark before grabbing his skateboard and walked out the front door of the establishment. "Thanks for coming with me Mark." 

Mark smiled before calling out to the younger man, "You're welcome Tom. But, you're going to wrong way. Home's this way." 

Mark rode off in the opposite direction, laughing as Tom turned around and skated quickly to catch up, giggling the whole way. -/-

Mark replaced the magazine before continuing on his quest of gifts for Tom. Wandering through the aisles again, he picked up a super sized bag of Skittles, a box of plastic sandwich baggies- intent on picking out all the orange candies- and found himself staring at a long cardboard box. 

Mark picked up the box, shook it and inspected the picture on it. The bright yellow sticker that read, '$29.99' obscured part of the writing describing the item inside. Mark let a small smile grow on his lips before walking up to the front cashier. 

He moved to stand behind a small lady with an umbrella. Mark looked out the high windows that were behind the front counter. Not a cloud in the sky, the sun was shining brightly. "How strange." He whispered to himself. 

Waiting patiently, Mark waited to purchase his gifts. He bounced on his toes, giddily moving closer to the counter placing his things on the red laminate. 

The cashier slowly rang up the items and placed the two smaller things in a white plastic bag while keeping the long box separate.

A book display was angled next to the register Mark was bouncing at. A couple of words caught his eye. 'Abduction' and 'Aliens'. Mark didn't even bother reading the rest of the title before placing the hardcover book onto the counter. 

The teen finished ringing up Mark, told him his total and handed the bassist his change. The blue eyed singer pulled up his hood as he left the small pharmacy, walking back in the direction of the hotel. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Mark unlocked his hotel room, glancing at the glowing red numbers on the digital clock. He still had a half hour before he needed to get Tom back from Travis's room. 

He set the plastic bag on the small table, intent on extracting the orange candies from the rainbow bag. Before Mark could open the box of sandwich bags, his phone went off in his pocket. 

Pulling it out and flipping it open, Mark saw it was Travis calling. 

"Hey Trav, what's up?" Mark asked before cringing at the sound of screaming. The bassist pulled the phone away, quickly replacing his newly bought gifts into the bag they came from. 

Mark brought the phone back to his ear in time to hear Travis trying to talk over the scream. "Mark! You need to get back here ASAP, Tom's having a meltdown. He was sleeping one minute, then the next, this!" 

Travis must have held his cellphone out in the air because the screaming got louder. Mark could barely make his name out from the garbled cries coming from Tom. Mark didn't answer his friend, his heartbeat sped up and he shook as he placed his key card in his wallet for safekeeping. 

Exiting his hotel room, Mark knocked on Travis's door across the hallway. He hung up the phone once he could hear Travis unlocking his door. The blue eyed bassist could hear the muffled high pitched shrill noises out in the hallway. 

Mark didn't even wait for Travis to explain more of what had happened before jogging over to Tom, seeing his legs pulled up into his body, still screaming his head off. Tom had his lanky arms wrapped around himself, eyes clenched shut while rocking back and forth. 

Mark reached out for the younger man, touching him on the arm, gently letting him know he was there for him. Mark frowned, having to wait for Tom to recognize him after the boy jumped at his initial touch. 

Tom raised his face, eyes puffy and red. He was winded after his full breath shreiking. Tears were streaking down the boy's face, a light layer of sweat was spread over his sad pink face. 

Mark's breathing hitched a little bit as his heart broke at the sight of Tom's fear filled face. A rainy night long ago briefly flew through Mark's mind. Mark closed his eyes, he could almost smell Tom's wet hair pressed into his shoulder on his front steps in Poway.

Tom grasped Mark's hoodie, barely waiting for Mark to sit before climbing into his older friend's lap. He pressed his face into Mark's neck as the screaming died down and hiccuping sobs replaced it. 

Mark didn't hesitate to tighten his grip on the boy. The blue eyed singer took deep calming breaths as he felt his own eyes prickle at the hopeless sounds falling off of Tom's lips. 

"M-m-mark...it was horrible. You, you, you le-left me and I was by myself, stuck in a room. A tiny room with no lights and fuck-" Tom tried taking a deep breath, but only succeeded in inducing another round of sobs. "I was shouting for you, but you couldn't hear me. You weren't saving me! I was all alone..."

A frown crossed his face as Mark pressed kisses into Tom's wet forehead. "Shhhhh, baby. It's okay, hun. Calm down, I'm here. You're safe, love.  I've got you, Tom. Babe, relax!"

Mark rocked Tom back and forth, running his left hand over the boy's damp back while his right hand pushed Tom's sweaty hair off his forehead. 

Tom squeezed Mark's shoulder, gripping the fabric with such force a ripping sound could be heard. The older man didn't even care, he simply continued his rocking, whispering calming words into Tom's ears. 

"Oh, Baby. It's over, the bad dream is over. It's not real, Tom. It's alright, don't cry Tommy." Mark cooed. 

The sobs eventually slowed and tears dried, leaving salty trails on Tom's flushed cheeks. The upset boy dug his fingers in deeper to Mark's arm, twisting the black fabric around his fingers. Letting go, he raised a finger to his mouth, letting it hang there as he tried to calm down. Breathing through his mouth he looked down at Mark. 

The older man's shoulder and neck were drenched from Tom's hot breath and tears. Tom sniffled before wiping his nose on the bassist's shoulder. 

"I'm sorry." Tom whispered, pulling the drawstring of Mark's hoodie into his mouth and raising his head. Tom began to chew on it, sucking and twirling it around his tongue before pulling it out and picking up the other drawstring. He ran the white knotted string lightly over his lips. 

Mark's thumb ran just below Tom's wet lashes, brushing a stray droplet off the brown eyed boy's cheek. The loving motion caused Tom to lean his head back down, nuzzling into the damp cloth and breathing in Mark's scent. 

Mark squeezed the boy. "Don't apologize, you have done nothing wrong. I shouldn't have left you here for so long. I'm the one that should be sorry." He whispered, pulling Tom in for another hug. Running his hands through the boy's longer dark hair, Mark caught sight of Travis standing in the corner; watching. 

Travis averted his eyes, suddenly interested in his bare feet. He ran his toes across the tan carpet. Chancing another look at his two best friends, Travis stole a look at the two men on the couch. Blue eyes met his own. 

Mark motioned for the drummer to come closer with a free hand. Hesitating for a moment, Travis sat on the edge of the nearby bed and placed his hands on his knees, rubbing them, with a concerned look on his face. 

Travis tried to crack a smile. "You know, for a tall, skinny motherfucker, he sure looks tiny and young in your arms." 

Mark smiled briefly, looking down at the crumpled boy in his lap.

After a moment of just Tom's breathy gasps, Mark questioned, "So what happened? Just a nightmare?"

Travis nodded, "Yea, he fell asleep like two minutes after you left. He was fine, I mean, he looked uncomfortable as hell, all folded up on the couch like that, but fine. I heard him start to grumble about five minutes before I called you. I rushed Ferrah and Jocelyn out of the room and I tried to wake him. He flipped. Like, fucking flipped. I've never seen him so...so..." Travis was at a loss for words. 

He paused and looked at his hands before finishing. "I don't know, it was a little frightening. I've never heard him scream like that, he wouldn't let me near him. He just wanted you."

Mark frowned and nodded, leaning down to give another kiss to Tom. The bassist rose off the small couch, sliding an arm underneath Tom's bottom, and readjusting the young singer in his arms to carry him. 

Tom wrapped his arms around Mark's neck, pulling his legs up and clutching at the older man's sides. The blue eyed man brought his left hand up to cradle the boy's neck, whispering into his ear as a sob escaped the boy's throat. 

"Babe, it's okay. I'm going to take you back to our room, alright? Hang in there baby." Mark could feel Tom nod, his hair getting stuck against the dampness of Mark's neck. 

"Marky, I'm scared. Don't let go of me..." Tom managed to squeek out, before pulling himself closer to his 6'2 security blanket. 

Mark sent Travis a wave and silently walked out of his friend's room and closed his tired eyes. The bassist attempted to juggle Tom's long body in his arms while he fumbled through his wallet for his key card. 

"This was much easier when you were 16, Tommy." Mark whispered, more to himself. Tom simply hugged Mark harder.

Unlocking the door, Mark entered the room and fell back against the bed, keeping Tom close in an embrace that not even Zeus himself could break. 

"Babe, you're safe. No more tears, please. It kills me when you cry." Mark picked up his head to look down at the spot on his chest Tom had burrowed into. 

Looking up at Mark with big, wet brown eyes, Tom swallowed. He began to explain his dream again, detailing how terrified he was at being locked up in a storage closet, hearing Mark's deep voice call out for him. In his dream, Tom's screams reached no further than the outer layer of steel on the storage closet door. 

"I'll tell you again. I love-" Mark swallowed, unable to finish his sentence in one breath. "I love you and you're safe. It was just a dream. No worries, hun." Mark detached Tom's left hand from his black zip up and brought it up to his lips. 

A small wet kiss sounded through the air. Tom pulled back his hand, looking at it, able to see the glistening mark left behind by the older man. 

Bringing his hand down again, he wrapped it around Mark's waist. Blue eyes looked down upon the nervous boy. Running his hand over the fabric of Tom's shirt, the pads of his fingers soaked up Tom's warmth. 

They stayed like that for a good half hour. The brown eyes had long since seen the light of day. His peaceful breaths were enough to lull Mark to sleep. 

Mark's phone buzzed, waking the older man from his light slumber. 

"Hey Steve, what's up?" Mark yawned before looking down at the sleeping boy on his chest. "Why so early? They're filming a movie? I guess so. Yea, alright, 9 a.m., The Meadows? I don't know, was that where we were the other day? Okay yea. Uh huh, I'll tell Tom. I know he's not answering his phone, he's sleeping." 

Mark looked down at the stirring boy, smiling when he saw bright brown eyes looking up at him. Mark closed his cell phone before placing it on the nightstand. He pulled the younger singer up to his face and placed a soft kiss on the tip of Tom's nose. 

Tom wiggled his nose at the feeling and sneezed. Hard. All over Mark's face. Tom raised an arm to wipe his nose and giggled at Mark's scrunched up, slightly damp face. 

Tom pulled in his lip ring, letting his tongue move over it and warm it as he watched Mark wipe his face off. Glaring blue eyes bore into Tom. Sensing that his best friend was not truly mad at him, he squeezed his eyes shut and gave a huge grin to Mark. Only opening his eyes when he heard Mark's familiar chuckle, Tom kissed the older man's cheek. A small smile formed on Mark's lips. 

Tom's face fell as he recalled his most recent nightmare. Tears began to well in his slightly red eyes. 

"I have something that will make you feel better, Tom." Mark said quietly, a smile dancing across his features at the guitarist's reaction. 

He sniffled once, then again, dramatically the second time. "A present? For me?"

Mark nodded and sat up, awkwardly bending Tom backwards. Reaching out to twist Tom, Mark gave another kiss before sliding the boy off onto the comforter.  Tom scrambled to replant himself on Mark's lap. 

Sighing, the blue eyed man reassured the younger one. "I'm not leaving. See that bag over there? There's something in there for you. I'm going to get it. Wait here."

Mark stood up, shaking his arm slightly as Tom tried to hold on, whining when the older man freed himself. A pout fell upon Tom's lips, that is, until he heard the rustling of the plastic shopping bag. 

"Close your eyes, I want to surprise you." Mark gently ordered, laughing at the violent shaking of Tom's head. 

Misunderstanding, Mark continued, "C'mon babe, just do it. I know you can't stand surprises, it's the little kid in you. For me though?" 

A low whisper could barely be heard as it slipped past Tom's thin lips. "No, I don't want you out of my sight. Too scared."

Mark sighed before taking a step back against the bed, turning and reaching out to tangle his fingers in Tom's bangs. He watched Tom's fluttering eyelashes as the boy relaxed under Mark's touch. The flashes of brown beneath long lashes looked so warm. 

Satisfied he had calmed his young friend, he walked back to the bag and pulled out the book and the long rectangular box. Twisting the box so that it was hidden behind his back, Mark returned to the bed. 

He took a deep breath in, slightly nervous at the possibility of reactions Tom could have. Glancing down at his toes, Mark cleared his throat and held out the book for Tom to examine. 

"Holy shit, Mark! Thank you, that is so fucking awesome!" Tom excitedly reached for the book and flipped through the pages. He paused to look at some color photographs in the middle of the book. 

"This is freaking unbelievable, I just saw this book being talked about in a documentary the other day! Thank you so much, Marky!" Tom gasped, covering his mouth with his hand as soon as the words left his mouth. 

Letting his hand drop, Tom scrutinized his fingers, not wanting to meet Mark's deep blue eyes. 

"Tom, I have told you before. You can call me whatever your little heart desires. I'd be okay with you calling me Fuckface, so long as it brought a smile to that pretty little face of yours." Mark assured. 

The tiniest twitch of a smile moved to Tom's face. "Okay, Fuckface."

Mark laughed before jumping up and down slightly. Tom had brought his eyes back to his new book. "Tom I have something else, too. It's really crappy, but I saw it and thought of you and I thought it would be cool to have on tour."

Tom spoke while not looking up, "Uh huh, that's cool."

Mark frowned and brought the long box out from behind his back, poking Tom in the chest with it. Tom looked up with grumpy eyes, frustration evident on his face. It was quickly wiped away however when Tom saw what was in the box. 

"A telescope?! You got me a real fucking telescope! Mark! It's like Christmas! Open it, open it!" Tom exclaimed, sitting up on his knees and bouncing with joy. 

Mark peeled the tape off the edge of the box and opened it, dumping all the pieces onto the bed. 

Tom's face fell. His eyebrows raised and his lips formed a pout so large, Mark just had to laugh at him. 

"You... you mean I have to assemble it? Awwww man!" 

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"It's 9 a.m., where the hell is Chris?" Mark asked, getting an eye roll from Tom and a heavy shoulder shrug from Travis. 

Steve was walking by with a binder full of papers, winding his way through a crowd of people. He was cradling his cell phone against his head and shoulder, talking as he walked. "Yes dear, I know dear. I will dear. No, that was not sarcasm dear."

Mark shouted out, "Hey! Steve! Where the fuck is Chris?"

Annoyed, Steve kept walking. He was barely able to shout back, "I don't know, Hoppus. Find him yourself, I'm not his keeper."

Mark frowned before looking over to his two bandmates. "Stay with Travis, Tom." He ordered and began to walk away in the opposite direction of Steve. 

Tom frowned and began to walk after Mark but was held back by something. He turned his head to see Travis's hand wrapped tightly around the collar of his shirt. "Trav, let go!" He whined.

Travis shook his head and pulled Tom back closer to him, leaning Tom against the wall next to himself. "Nope, Mark said stay here, not get yourself lost and have a panic attack." 

Tom pouted, crossing his arms he looked down at the painted cement. Sets of shoes were walking quickly in both directions, seven bands were going to be playing tonight, the first ones starting at 3:00. It was extremely busy backstage. 

One pair of scuffed Vans appeared in front of Tom and stayed there. Looking up, Tom was surprised to find Chris standing there. "Oh. Hi. Haven't seen you since the hot tub." Tom said politely. 

There was a glint in Chris's grey blue eyes that made Tom very nervous without Mark alongside him. Tom continued talking, nervousness flowing out of his mouth. 

"So, uh, yea. So did you find Mark? He went to look for you. He was just here a couple minutes ago..." The guitarist trailed off, stopping when he saw Chris nodding slowly. 

A sly smile ran across his lips as he decided to speak. "Yes, he told me to come back here and get you, Tom. Let's go, he said we could meet him over here."

Looking over to Travis for approval, the drummer waved his hand motioning for Tom to go. The singer slowly stood and began to follow Chris. As the blonde bassist turned down a hall, he threw an arm up and over Tom's broad shoulders. 

"So Tommy, how are things with you and Mark?" Chris asked, turning down another hallway. 

Tom began to breath harder. Nerves began to rise and the hairs on the back of his neck, despite being damp from nervousness, stood up. He struggled to find words that would satisfy the shorter man. 

"Um, things are fine. Ready to um, practice and play tonight. How about you and your band?" Tom's left thumb found its way up to his tshirt, spinning it slowly so it was wrapped a few times around the short digit. 

"Oh we are absolutely fabulous. Tonight's gonna rock. It's about to get even better." Chris smiled big at the anxious man beside him. He pulled him even closer to his body before stopping in front of a door. 

Tom bit his lip and tried to pry himself out of Chris's arms. "Um, I think I might wait for Mark with Travis. I forgot to tell Travis something." 

Chris's eyes squinted, a tight smile formed on his face. "Mark's inside. Go ahead." 

Tom stared at the door. It was grimy with paint peeling off the dark metal. He sucked his lip ring into his mouth and shook his head. 

Chris placed his hand on the round door knob. Twisting it he moved to the side, talking into the darkness. Tom tried to back up, however Chris's grip on him was strong. 

"Sure thing Marky Marks, here he is!" Chris went on, turning and smiled at Tom. He pulled the guitarist violently towards him and tossed the boy into the darkness. 

Tom immediately gathered himself off the floor and threw himself at the door, trying the handle and finding it locked. 

"Fuck." Tom whispered to himself. 

Turning, he closed his eyes, trying to stay calm. "Mark?" He whispered, hoping that this was all a bad joke and Mark truly was in the small storage closet. 

"M-m-mark? Are y-y-you in h-here?" Tom whispered again, straining to hear anything. 

Silence rang loudly in his ears.


	14. Chapter 14

He took deep breaths, closing his eyes in the darkness. His fingers found their way up to his shirt, grasping the slightly damp fabric and twisting it around his pointer fingers. 

Tom backed away from the door and ended up hitting a shelf full of cleaning supplies. The metal tins rattled at the sudden contact. 

He wiped away the first tear, trying to calm himself. "Okay, it's okay, I can do this. I can do this. I just need to stay calm. Mark will find me. He will save me. He has to. H-h-has to." The boy began to stutter. 

He sniffled before opening his eyes in the darkness. Brown eyes looked to the floor near the door, only able to make out the thinnest slit of light from beneath the door. 

Bending down, he lowered himself onto his hands and knees. He tried to force his fingers under the door. "Somebody help me," he whispered, "Somebody get Mark..." Tom trailed off, turning his body and sitting on his bottom.

He wrapped his arms around his knees as the tears began to fall. Tom whispered into the darkness, "Fuck, no one knows where I am..." 

Slowly his tears began to accompany gasping breaths as he struggled to maintain his composure. 

Suddenly it became too much for the boy. He threw himself at the door, screaming out for his older friend, begging him to hear him and help. 

Outside the door a soft thumping could be heard with the tiniest squeek of a shout. Not a soul was close enough to hear it. 

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Mark made his way back through the crowd of stagehands. He found Travis in the same spot he had left him, minus Tom at his side. 

The drummer had been fiddling on his phone, fingers moving close to the speed of light as he typed out a text.

He greeted his friend before asking, "Where's Tom?" 

Travis looked at the man before him. Mark was bent, bracing his arms on his knees, slightly out of breath after having walked around the entire arena searching for Chris. 

Mark looked around for his younger friend, expecting Tom to jump out from behind a crate or a wardrobe bin that was being wheeled by. 

His Tom would not be far from safety, he just had a nightmare yesterday afternoon. He would be too anxious to go anywhere on his own yet, it was just too soon. Not his Tom.

"He's with Chris. They were here like twenty minutes ago. Wait a sec," Travis paused, moving his sunglasses to rest upon his growing head of hair. 

The drummer wrinkled his forehead, thinking for a moment before letting his blue eyes widen. "Did you ever find Chris?"

Mark bit the inside of his lip, frowning a bit as he answered the younger man. "No, and you know what I'm pissed because we were supposed to be getting some footage for their movie. That little shithead-"

Mark stopped talking as he noticed panic set in on Travis's face. His own body began to react, sensing something was wrong. He stood up a little straighter and waved a hand in front of Travis's face. "Hello? What's wrong?"

Travis ran his hands through his hair, knocking his sunglasses to the ground. Eyes were wide as he set off in the direction Chris had walked with Tom in tow, the black metal frames forgotten on the floor. 

"Trav? What is it?" Mark called out, following closely behind the drummer. He struggled to keep up with Travis's quick steps through the throngs of people. Mark may have had longer legs, but when Travis wanted to move, he was one quick fellow. 

"Chris, he said he was bringing Tom to you, said you had met up with him and that you wanted Chris to grab Tom because the two of them were supposed to meet you somewhere. Fuck, I should have paid more attention!" Travis spit his words from over his shoulder, not stopping as he quickly walked through the crowds, rambling. Mark only understood bits and pieces of it.

Having decided to take a chance, Travis began opening doors in an attempt to locate the third bandmember. Upon opening one door, he saw one of the Kut U Up members sitting against a couch. Brandon was fiddling with a magazine, turning the pages of National Geographic as if he were reading a foreign language. 

Brandon looked up, meeting Travis's concerned eyes. He nodded an acknowledgement as he let the magazine fall to the floor, slightly embarrassed. 

"Yo, Parkhurst, you seen Coté around anywhere?" Travis asked, not bothering to release the round door knob. Mark peered over the drummer's shoulder, looking for signs of Tom having been there. The Kut U Up guitarist shook his head, stood up and met the two Blink members at the door. 

"Why, what's he done now? You look like you're about to tear him a new one." Poking his head into the hallway, Brandon watched as Travis stomps off, followed by Mark, not answering his question. 

Travis continued on their search for Chris. Mark was beginning to get more worried by the minute. He grabbed the shorter man on the shoulder, effectively slowing him down. Mark whispers, "Trav, the last nightmare Tom had was him getting locked up in a storage closet. Shit, if he gets left somewhere he's going to lose it. You don't think Chris would actually do something like that, do you?" 

As Travis passed a hallway, he turned, seeing Chris talking to a group of young girls. Moving with silent steps, the bassist didn't even know what was happening. 

Chris let out a shriek as he was tossed against a wall, his shirt twisted in Travis's fist. The drummer's eyes had darkened, a thin line drawn across his lips. 

Shock was evident on the blonde man's face, afraid to say a word he looked from Travis over to Mark. Mark's face was full of confusion.

"Trav, what are you saying? Where the fuck is Tom, let Chris go. Let's just relax a minute here." Mark tried to pull on the shorter man's shoulders. Travis's grip just twisted harder. 

"Fucking liar." Travis seethed. The only thing Chris could do was be pinned there and listen as Mark tried to convince Travis to let him go. 

The group of girls that had been with Chris dispersed, fearing their own safety at the rage of the Blink drummer. 

Travis thrust his hands against Chris again, causing the blonde to knock his head against the painted cement block walls. 

Travis turned his head slightly to direct his words at Mark, still keeping a weary eye on the man in his hands. "This little fucking lying asshole here took Tom. I bet you tricked him into somewhere and locked him up so Mark couldn't find him." 

Travis looked into Chris's fearful eyes, his own frown deepening as he shook him again. "Where is he?" Travis demanded. 

Chris looked at Mark, then into Travis's blue eyes. "I didn't do anything." He lied smoothly, letting his mouth twitch for a moment into a smirk.

Mark's fist wiped that smirk right off his face with a right hook. Chris groaned in pain, letting his head lull to the side. His lip had been split and a small amount of metallic smelling liquid pooled in his mouth. 

Travis let the hurt bassist rest his feet on the ground again. Mark moved close without hesitation. He shoved the blonde man down, and kneeled on Chris's chest. Pushing with his own weight, he made the hurt man gasp for air. 

Mark spoke slowly and barely above a whisper as he leaned closer and closer to the man's face. "Where the fuck did you leave Tom."

All Chris could manage to do was nod his head down the hall, indicating a direction. He squeeked as Mark roughly pulled him to be feet, beyond caring how his friend was being treated. 

With a harsh grip on Chris's shoulder, Mark gave the other bassist a rough push, starting the younger man on his way.  Travis fell in step behind the two, glad that Mark finally understood what the hell was going on. 

After turning down two corridors, Mark broke the silence that had fallen upon the three men. "You better not be fucking around with me. I'm at the point where I could fucking kill you. And Trav here," pausing to give Chris a good shake, "knows where to hide a fucking body. A ripped, mangled body." 

Mark looked back at his friend, blue eyes showing first anger then softened, releasing another emotion- fear. Travis decided to crack his knuckles for added measure. 

Chris gulped at the noise, telling Mark in a raspy voice, "It's just down here." The three men turned into a hallway with flickering lights. It looked as if not a soul had been down this way in quite some time. 

Chris nodded at a door. "There, in there." 

Mark released his grip on the shorter man and reached for the circular handle, trying to turn it. It made a slight clicking noise, but stayed motionless. 

Mark knocked forcefully against the door. "Tom?" He called out, "You in there, Tom?"

Mark pressed himself against the door, letting his ear suction itself to the dirty painted metal. It rattled in response, eliciting a soft cry from the seams of it. 

"Tom! I'm here, hold on I'm going to get you out!" Mark shouted, tingling with nerves. He turned to ask for the key when he saw that Travis had already shoved the bassist against the wall. 

Chris revealed a small bronze key in between his two longest fingers. 

Mark lunged for it. Turning back against the rattling door, Mark fumbled with the key. Dropping it, he swore. 

Retrieving the small piece of metal, he finally fit the key into the lock and turned it. The handle turned simultaneously and Mark struggled to get the door open fast enough. 

Tom launched himself into Mark waiting arms, causing the shorter man to stagger at the sudden weight.

"Oh, baby..." is all Mark could get out before the gasping breaths from Tom got ragged indicating that the frightened boy had begun to hyperventilate again. 

The brown eyed boy's tears quickly pooled behind his eyelids, slipping out and sliding down to collide with Mark's neck. The salty tears were hot, and stung against the older man's skin. 

Strong arms grasped to keep the taller man on his feet, but failed. Travis watched as the two men slid to the ground, the younger of the two scrambling to stay as close as possible to the other. 

Travis was also vaguely aware that Chris was still near the three close friends and the drummer began to get angry that this outsider was witnessing such a distressing, private moment. Travis pushed at Chris's slight frame, letting a low growl escape his lips. 

Chris stumbled and began to quickly escape, unhappy that his plan failed and a little bit nervous there could be future repercussions. 

Travis, relieved to have found his slightly younger friend physically unharmed, runs his hands through his short hair. Rubbing at his eyes, he quietly tells Mark, "I'll be round the corner guys." 

Mark looked up to nod at Travis, noticing he had already started to walk away. The blue eyed singer brought his attention back to the boy in his arms. Tom had not said a peep. Mark bit his lip and leaned in to leave a kiss on the boy's temple. 

"Baby, it's okay. I'm right here, don't cry. That must have been horrible for you..." Mark paused, trying to get the sad brown eyes to look at his own. 

He continued cooing in Tom's ear, rubbing the upset boy's heaving back. Mark's pocket soon began to vibrate and he pulled it out to see who was calling. Steve's name is typed across the small exterior screen. Mark rolled his eyes before shoving the small device back into his pocket. 

Mark closed his eyes, leaning against the doorframe. "Tom, baby, please talk to me. About anything, I just need to hear your voice. It worries me so freaking much when you close yourself off. It's never a good sign" He pleads, whispering. 

Mark continues rubbing Tom's back and wraps an arm around his waist, slowly beginning to rock. Whispering "It's okay" as if it would cure the brown eyed boys's fear. Mark continued, pressing kisses into Tom's forehead and hair. 

"Hey, Mark?" The bassist tore his eyes off of Tom's deep brown hair, looking up to see Travis walking back towards him, cellphone pressed against his ear. 

Travis pulls the phone away from his ear, covering the microphone with his hand before speaking. "Mark, it's Steve. He wants to know where we are. I guess he tried calling you two," Travis paused, motioning to the two men seated on the floor, "and no one was answering. Says we need to do soundcheck." 

Travis bit his lip, waiting for a response from Mark. Sticking a free hand into his hoodie pocket, he held his phone out for Mark to take, thinking he could speak with Steve directly. 

The blue eyed singer, still looking at Tom's crinkled, flushed face, moved to push a fallen piece of hair out of the boy's clenched eyes. 

"Fuck soundcheck." He whispers, before turning and shouting the same words. Tom and Travis both jump at the loud words. 

Instantly Mark apologizes into Tom's now wide open eyes, feeling horrible that he startled the more than already frightened boy. 

Travis brought the phone back to his ears to hear Steve shouting back. "Sorry Steve, but now is not the best time. Something happened with Tom, it's really fucked up..." Travis stops as he sees the younger man clawing at Mark's shoulders.

The drummer pulled the phone away and covered it, crouching next to the two men. Reaching a slow hand out to Tom, Travis rubbed the boy's head affectionately. 

"Relax Tom, I'm not going to give any details out." Travis reassured. 

Peering through large tears, Tom looked over at Travis and nodded his head slightly. Trying to be ever positive, Travis sent his younger friend a reassuring smile. 

"Alright Tommy, time to stand up. I can't feel my legs anymore." A fresh new wave of tears flooded Tom's pink cheeks as Mark tried to maneuver the boy off of his lap to stand.  

Two sets of blue eyes fell on a defeated Tom, puddled by the older man's feet. Mark closed his own eyes, taking a deep breath before trying to pull Tom to his feet. 

Hearing a small voice, Travis looked down to his hands. Realizing he still had Steve on the line, he turned, pacing the hallway as he tried to explain what had occurred in the last half hour. 

Mark frowned. Tom was insistent on not letting go of Mark's pant leg. "Baby, you're staying with me. I'm not going anywhere without you."

Sad brown eyes looked up, seeming desperate for physical contact from the older man. Mark reached his arms down for Tom's shaking fingers. 

"Come here, love." Mark whispered. 

Tom sniffled and held out his left hand. Keeping his right hand grasping Mark's jeans tightly, the younger man didn't let go until his boyfriend's hand was firmly gripping his own hot hand. 

Pulling on Tom, Mark helped the boy rise. Mark enveloped the younger man in a hug, smiling when he felt Tom rest his head on his shoulder. 

"I've got you, Tom. You're safe with me." Mark reassured one more time, then whispered, "I love you," before looking over to Travis. 

Mark raised one eyebrow as he witnessed Travis stomp his foot in frustration. "No, Steve, I can't just tell you what fucking happened. It's private, that's why. Look, have the techs practice with our instruments. No, not even one song. Because. Well screw you, too!"

Travis closed his phone and tilted his head back in frustration. He turned and spoke softly, afraid that any loud noise would cause the guitarist to shatter. 

"Got us out of soundcheck. Steve's probably going to have a stroke because of it, but we're out of anything until four. At four we have to at least try to make an appearance with the crowds. We missed the first group signing. Can't piss the fans off too too much." Travis explained. 

Mark nodded, leaning his head to the left, away from Tom to check on him. His sobs had died down, face covered in exhaustion. 

Looking back over to Travis, Mark began to devise a plan. "Alright, so how about we make a break for the dressing room? I'll follow you..." He paused to look at Tom. 

Running a hand through his hair, Mark pressed a kiss onto the brown eyed boy's earlobe. "Tommy? You hear that? We're going to go back to the dressing room. Then we can relax and have you take a nap." 

Mark swore silently to himself as Tom began to shake and bounce slightly, as if disagreeing and throwing a tantrum, having yet to say a word. 

"Alright, alright. You don't have to nap, but at least rest with me, okay? Chill out." Mark requested. 

Tom gave a slight nod and held onto the tail of Mark's shirt as the older man turned to the drummer and sighed. 

"He gonna walk the whole way there? It's going to take us like five, six minutes to get to the dressing room. It's super crowded too..." Travis trailed off, returning Mark's gaze with a raised eyebrow. 

Mark frowned, turning his head back to see Tom, still gripping his the bottom of his shirt. 

Mark shrugged his shoulders and smoothed down a stray piece of dark brown hair on the top of Tom's head. "You ready?" Mark asked quietly. 

Brown eyes peered down at his scuffed shoes and shuffled them a bit before biting his lip. He pulled his lip ring a tad bit too hard and barely flinched, not registering the pain. 

The pout that formed on Tom's soft lips was enough to break Mark's heart. Mark stepped closer, his navy and white Vans coming into Tom's view. 

The younger boy felt his chin being raised, warm fingers gently grasping, making his brown eyes meet blue ones. "Baby," was all Mark had to whisper before the tears started to fall again and Tom felt his body being pulled into a comforting hug. 

"Shhh, it's going to be alright. I'll take care of you. C'mon, up you go." Mark whispered, bending his legs to reach down and placed his hands above the back of Tom's knees. The younger man's legs easily moved with Mark's gentle touch, rising and wrapping themselves around the bassist's hips. 

Tom nuzzled his nose into the warmth of Mark's neck. The calloused fingers gripped the older man's shoulder, twisting the dark fabric tightly around his bitten fingernails.

"Here, take this." Travis offered, holding out his white zip up hoodie. 

Mark thanked him and struggled to get the thick fabric over Tom's arms. The drummer stepped in and grunted as he helped Mark guide Tom's fighting arm through the sleeve. Tom was afraid the slightly older man would pull him away from his security blanket, his Mark. 

Once both arms were securely through the sleeves, Mark thanked Travis again and lifted the drummer's hood over Tom's damp head. Fiddling with the fabric, Mark leaned his head to the right, making sure to cover as much of Tom's face as possible. 

Mark secured his arm over Tom's back and began to follow the drummer's lead, retracing their steps back through the hallways. Soon they were able to hear the low rumble of people talking and found themselves fighting to cross the flow of people walking in all sorts of directions, preparing for the rockfest. 

Five long minutes later, they found themselves safe in their dressing room.

"Shit, there's a fuckload of people out there. So it's..." Travis paused, pulling out his phone to check the time, "11:34, we have the second fan thing at four. I guess we'll just hang here till then. I'll see if I can find Steve. If Chris so much as fucking walks by me, I swear..." 

Travis rolled his shoulders, the tattoos on his arms twisting and reflecting the strain on his body. "I need to go cool off. I'm gonna find Steve and tell him we'll be ready for the 'Meet the Fans' thing and then find someplace quiet to listen to my music."

Travis rummaged through his bag, pulling out his headphones and stood back up, cracking his neck in the process. 

Mark acknowledged his friend and looked down at the boy in his arms, pulling off the hood as the door shut quietly. 

Sitting on the small love seat, Tom stretched out, letting his legs hang over the side. Mark guided the boy's head into his lap. Fingers found their way into the still sweat dampened hair and began to sooth the still scared boy. 

"Safe and sound, Tommy. You'll be alright. Rest your body, I'm here if you need me." Mark murmured. 

Mark fell asleep with Tom's hair weaved between his fingers, his head tilted to the side.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

"Ouch, fuck!" Mark swore as he stubbed his pinky toe on the corner of the bathroom door, trying to make his way from the bunks to the toilet. 

It was dark in the back of the bus, Travis had been playing his music over the speakers, making microwave popcorn and playing a video game all at the same time and ended up blowing a fuse. 

The lights from the kitchenette on back, no longer worked. They were on too tight of a schedule to stop and get a replacement fuse. Their bus driver, Walt had apologized, letting them know that the very next chance they had, they would stop to pick some fuses up. 

Mark felt his way through the darkness, pushing open the tiny window in the bathroom to let some moonlight in. Bracing one hand to steady himself over the toilet, he pulled down the top of his red thermal pajama pants and relieved himself. 

After reaching for the flusher, he felt his way to the sink handles and washed his hands. He scratched the top of his head before he opened the door and stepped out of the bathroom. 

Upon stepping into the narrow hallway, Mark paused. He squinted both eyes and listened. He heard the humming of the bus and the deep rotating sounds of the tires smacking the pavement. 

Then he heard it again, a deep breathy gasp. 

"Shit." Mark whispered. He held out his hands, feeling his way back to his bunk. When he felt the wall end and the soft fabric of the curtain he had withdrawn, he leaned into the bunk. 

"Baby, I'm here. It's alright, I'm here." Mark's lips pressed into Tom's temple. 

They had been on the road the past 58 hours. Tom had not left Mark's side, and became extremely anxious when it began to get dark. Sleeping on the bus for Tom was nearly impossible. It usually took Mark singing softly with Tom wrapped up in his arms.

Since the boy's encounter with the lightless custodial closet, he had developed a fear of the dark. Which really sucked for Mark because he had spent the previous night assembling Tom's new telescope. 

The brown eyed boy had refused to use it, unable to close one eye and view the night's sky through it. Tom was too afraid to have Mark out of his sight even for a moment. 

-/- "Tommy, I'm holding your hand. C'mon I got it all set up for you. You can see the stars shining so brightly. They're beautiful! We'll be ten feet from the bus. Please?" Mark pushed, trying to get Tom to do something, anything. 

Tom looked at him, squinting his eyes in the slightest bit, pupils dilating. The dark brown eyes fell to the floor, his hair falling into his eyes as he shook his head. 

The boy looked at the telescope longingly. He ran his tongue over his lips and pulled his piercing into his mouth. Shifting his focus to the tinted window, he shook his head again as he peered out into the darkness. 

"Fine. I'm going to go run into the store while we're stopped. You want anything?" Mark asked, saddened by Tom's refusal, while leaning down to collapse the telescope and slide it under the couch. 

Tom opened his mouth, as if to talk, but then closed it with a little frown. Mark watched, holding his breath hoping to hear Tom speak. The younger one had been silent since 'The Incidence', as he and Travis had been referring to it. 

"Do you want to go in the store?" Mark asked. When Tom shook his head, the older man then asked, "Okay do then you want to stay here?" 

Tom's eyes widened considerably. Furious head shaking ensued. "Okay well then babe, you're going to have to come in. I'm hungry and we have just Travis's vegan crap. I want actual food. Like Cheezits made with real cheese or something with lots of refined sugar and all sorts of unhealthy qualities."

Tom sighed and followed Mark, slipping his hand into the bassist's as they stepped off the bus. Mark looked down at their fingers and pulled Tom in closer, releasing their woven hands as he threw an arm over the taller one's shoulders. 

They weren't in complete darkness, nor were they alone. Various crew members had stopped to stretch their legs on solid ground. Steve shouted out they had 15 minutes before they needed to load up and take off.

Mark lead Tom under a street lamp and held the glass door for him as they reached the small convenience store. As Mark walked to the snack aisle, Tom stopped in front of the candy shelf. 

He jumped when he saw a hand reach in front of him and grab the red hanging bag of candy he was staring at. He relaxed when he recognized the forearm of his best friend.

The brown eyed boy turned to meet Mark's eyes. Tom looked down at the pile of snacks loaded into the older man's arms. 

"You want anything else?" Mark asked. Tom shook his head, following Mark as the older one sighed and went to the register. 

A young woman sat behind the worn counter, snapping bubble gum and flipping through a magazine. She was bent over the counter, her dark braided pigtails falling over her shoulders. 

Mark couldn't help but notice her red tank top was way too low cut for her to be working at a convenience store this late at night. From what Mark noticed, all by herself no less. 

Noticing someone close to her, the girl's eyes flashed up to see Mark, arms full of goodies. "Why hello there, Sexy." She licked her lips as she looked over the counter, running her eyes all over the bassist. 

Mark swallowed uncomfortably and leaned slightly back as he placed his snacks on the counter. He gave a short smile to the girl and asked, "How much do I owe you?" 

The girl didn't even take her eyes off Mark as she spoke seductively, "For you? It's on the house if we can go out back for five minutes."

Blue eyes widened at the girl's bluntness. He struggled with what to say as he felt the blush creep up on his cheeks. "Ah, um, well uhh..."

Mark turned when he felt a small tug on the back of his tshirt. Dark brown eyes peered down at him from under unhappy eyebrows. 

Mark raised an eyebrow silently asking what the younger boy needed. Tom's lip ring poked out as he pushed his bottom lip out and glared at the girl. 

The older man mouthed 'I'm sorry!' to Tom and turned back to the oblivious girl. Mark pulled out his wallet, ignoring the female's advances and held out his credit card. 

"Sorry, just the snacks please. I have someone important waiting for those Skittles." Mark cleared his throat and tried to look outside through the window. 

"Such a pity. All the cute ones are always taken." The girl popped a bubble loudly with her gum and placed all of Mark's snacks in a plastic bag. 

As Mark left the store, he threw his arm around Tom again. The light that had previously been on, had gone out. The younger man stuck close to Mark, despite his crossed arms and upset expression. 

Once they reached the bus, Tom moved to climb the stairs. He stopped, turned and swung his right fist at Mark's left shoulder. 

"Ouch, Tom! What the hell was that for?" Mark questioned, bewildered by Tom's aggressive actions. 

Tom frowned deeply, the lines formed by the unhappy expression ran deep above the bridge of his nose. The boy stomped his foot and 'humpfed' at Mark, pushing hot air out through his nostrils.

Mark climbed up the steps after Tom, snack bag dangling as the bassist rubbed his aching shoulder. 

"Babe, that was really uncalled for!" Mark called out as Tom retreated into Mark's bunk, brushing roughly past Travis.

Travis watched the singer's retreating form. He looked back to Mark, watching as he placed his white plastic shopping bag on the kitchenette counter. Mark grew his own frown as he began taking the snacks out from the bag. 

"He finally start talking yet?" The drummer asked, picking up the box of Oreos that Mark had dropped. 

"Fuck, they're prolly all broken now!" Mark whined to himself. 

Catching the other man's blue eyes, Mark sighed and spoke softly, letting his voice convey how he felt. "Not a peep yet. He got all upset when this chick at the store was hitting on me. What was I supposed to say? 'Excuse me, ma'am, but could you please refrain from saying those lewd things to me in front of my boyfriend?' Somehow I don't think that would fly, Trav."

Travis chuckled and pulled out his own box of vegan cookies. Mark stuffed a creme filled cookie into his mouth and shuffled to the bunk area, intent of making sure Tom was not really upset.

After convincing Tom there was no real reason to feel threatened by a convenience store clerk, the young boy followed Mark back up front. 

The bassist tossed Tom the red candy bag and grabbed two bowls from the cabinet. As the two men sat at the tiny dinette table, Tom watched Mark pour the small candies into the two dishes. Mark began to push the purple bowl towards Tom before stopping and pushing Tom's favorite bowl, the tangerine one instead. 

Tom let a small smile grace his face, happy that Mark had remembered. The two men sat picking through the candies, finding the orange ones and placing them in Tom's bowl. 

Travis stood up from the couch he was laying on and pressed 'play' on the bus's stereo. Stretching, he walked by the dinette table and stole a couple of strawberry flavored candies. Tom protested silently, pushing Travis's skinny frame away from the table. 

Rummaging through the cabinets above the mini microwave, Travis pulled out a box of Pop Secret. He busied himself with making the microwaveable popcorn and turned to start Grand Theft Auto on the Playstation. 

Travis reached to turn up the bus's stereo as Mark flung an orange skittle at Tom's face. Tom was readying himself to toss a lime flavored one at Mark when the lights went out. 

The three men were drenched in darkness. Travis swore and apologized to the two other men. "Shit, I'm sorry guys. That was probably my fault!"  

Tom reached out for Mark, letting a small gasp slip out. He closed his eyes once he felt Mark's cool hand take his own. Mark had found the guitarist. He scooted out from the bench and moved around the table to collect Tom into his arms. 

Mark hugged the boy close, rubbing his back and pressing his lips into the brown eyed boy's forehead. "C'mon babe, we'll get you Piggy. Don't you worry."   -/-

Tom let a little cry escape his lips as Mark crawled into the bunk. Tom reached out and ran his hands over Mark's shoulders and down his arms to his hands, which were gently holding onto the boy's face. The two lay on their sides, facing one another. 

"It's alright baby, I was just gone for a moment. I had to use the bathroom. It's okay though, you're almost through the night. A few more hours and the sun will be coming up."

Tom nodded, making the older man's hands rub against the tear dampened pillowcase. Tom bit his lip, letting a few wet tears escape before reaching an arm behind his lower back and pulling out a small soft toy. 

Mark wiped away the tears and pushed the boy's hair back, letting his eyes adjust in the darkness. He watched as Tom brought the small stuffed pig up to his nose and nuzzled the toy's snout. 

"Oink, oink, oink..." Tom whispered.

"Tommy?" Mark asked, whispering to the frightened boy, "You back, hun?"

Mark could see the glossy eyes glancing up at him before he heard the younger man speak. His voice cracked and Tom stopped, clearing his throat before kissing Piggy and tucking it under his right arm. 

"Yes. Just please don't leave me alone, not in the dark. Please, Mark. It's just too much right now." Tom wiggled closer to the bassist and nudged the older man's shoulder. 

Mark rolled onto his back, pulling the sniffling man onto his chest. Taking Piggy- not without protest however- he made the small plush toy prance around his stomach, up and over Tom's side and down to the boy's face. 

Mark let out a loud sounding kiss as he pushed the pig's snout into the boy's cheek, causing the boy to giggle. 

"I missed that laugh, you know. Way too much, so don't fret, I'm keeping you on a tight leash. You and me will be stuck like glue." Mark smiled and kissed Tom in the same spot Piggy had. 

"Good." Tom whispered, snuggling deeper into Mark's arms, letting his eyes flutter close. His fingers ran over Mark's chest until they reached Piggy. 

The small toy was pulled tightly against the boy's chest and moved slightly with each breath Mark took. 

"Good." Mark repeated, letting a happy sigh out as he rested his eyes, so pleased to hear Tom's sweet voice again.


	15. Chapter 15

Travis flipped through the stations looking for the UFC fight that was scheduled to begin in seven minutes. 

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon... Oh come on! What the hell. Why can't they just have the same channels everywhere!" The drummer groaned as he smashed the small black button on the remote. 

After nearly breaking the small rectangular button, Travis settled down seeing the preliminary bios of each fighter before the fight began. 

His blue eyes glanced over at the sleeping figure on the bed next to him. The younger man rolled over in his sleep, revealing a flushed face to Travis. 

Travis checked the time on his watch, his fight would be starting in five minutes, and Mark had said he would be back 45 minutes ago. 

-/-"Are you serious, dude?" Travis asked dumbfounded. 

"Trav, I'm right next door. These guys could really use my help. They're stuck on some lyrics and they love my writing style. Why shouldn't I help them? I won't be gone long." Mark whispered harshly to his friend, looking down at the sleeping boy next to him. 

"What happens if Tom wakes up before you get back?" The drummer raised his eyebrows, daring the other blue eyed man to rethink the situation.

Mark sighed and ran a soft hand through Tom's hair. In his sleep, the boy sighed and leaned into the gentle touch. 

Returning his gaze to Travis, Mark pleaded with his friend. "Trav, I won't be gone long. I haven't really had any time to myself since 'The Incident'. I just want to see what they have for lyrics and help them get over their writer's block. They could really use the boost. I'll be right back! No later than an hour. Really!"

Running his hands through his hair, he checked his reflection in the mirror before placing a hand on the hotel door handle. 

Mark looked back at the bed, Tom's breathing was steady and relaxed. He glanced at Travis, ignoring his disapproving look and turned the door handle to leave.

As the door shut, Mark could hear Travis admonishing him, "Just don't screw up, Mark. Tom doesn't deserve that shit. He's got enough to worry about!" -/-

Travis looked back at the television before crossing one leg over the other on the edge of his bed. He played with his lip ring, running one tattooed hand over the small piece of metal. 

The drummer swallowed thickly while trying to focus on the small blonde woman interviewing a fighter's coach. Picking up the remote he twirled it in his hand. 

"No! Please, no, help me. Help!" 

Travis muted the blonde and turned his body towards his sleeping friend. Tom had pushed the thin plaid comforter down, kicking one leg out from the blankets. 

"No!" Tom cried out in his sleep again, face scrunching up, twisting into a worried state. His eyes stayed closed as a tear fell out from behind the crinkled eyelid. 

"Tom? You awake?" Travis pulled himself into a standing position and moved closer to the troubled boy. Reaching out his hand, the blue eyed man poked at the boys's shoulder. 

Brown eyes shot open as Travis reached out to poke Tom again. Tom blinked as the room came into focus. He sat up and looked around, fisting both hands and rubbing his tired eyes. 

Travis sat back on the opposite bed, watching the singer wake up. Tom wiped his damp forehead and dried his hands on the tan bedsheets. 

Travis noticed as the boy became more and more aware of his surroundings, his breathing increased as he looked around for only one person. 

Tom pulled his knees up to his chest. Resting his head on his pajamas he turned his head to look at Travis. 

"You okay man?" Travis instantly regretted asking the simple question as Tom inhaled a loud shaky breath and covered his mouth, only slightly muffling the sob that racked his shoulders. 

"W-w-where's Mark-k-k?" Tom choked out, moving his hands to cover his entire face. 

Travis let out a strained sigh and moved to sit next to Tom. Wrapping an arm around the upset boy's shoulders, Travis leaned against him before trying to explain why Mark had left him. 

"Well, he is next door. That group of girls we met earlier today, you remember them?" Travis felt Tom's hair moving against his arm as he nodded. 

"Well, I guess they asked him earlier today to meet up with them to go over some lyrics they've been having trouble with. He should be back soon..." Travis paused, feeling Tom begin to shake. 

"Calm down, Tom. You're okay, I'm here for ya." Travis's hand slid up and down the guitarist's right arm. The older man's hand caught against the sleeve of Tom's sleep shirt, causing Tom to shiver. 

Tom leaned into the drummer, clenching his eyes tightly as he tried to keep himself under control. 

"I need Mark..." He trailed off, raising a shaky hand up to wipe the hot tears off his face. 

Travis sighed unhappily, and reached over to hand Tom his phone. Opening the small device, the singer pressed the number '5' and waited to hear Mark answer. He took a calming breath in as he waited for the phone to dial. 

A small buzzing noise could be heard from the dresser across the room. Both men furrowed their eyebrows in confusion. Travis leaned away from Tom, reaching out to click on the bedside lamp. 

As the light illuminated the room, Travis swore and Tom let out a small cry. Both brown and blue eyes watched as Mark's phone spun around on the dresser, remaining unanswered. 

Tom closed his phone and let it drop into the folds of the sheets. He hiccuped as he fell on top of Travis, leaning against him and wrapping two long arms around the drummer's waist. 

"Hey now, Tom. He's just next door. Why don't you go knock on the door? I'm sure once Mark realizes you're awake he'll come and help you go back to sleep. Then you won't have any nightmares, huh. Yea, why don't you do that. Let's get you a little cleaned up."

Travis pushed the sheets off of Tom's legs and pulled him up to stand on his own two feet. Mark's phone buzzed, indicating a missed call. Tears welled in Tom's eyes as he looked at the small black device. 

The blue eyed man held out a hoodie for Tom to throw on and side stepped the younger man to retrieve a wet washcloth from the bathroom. 

An arm shot out to stop the drummer, Travis meeting Tom's eyes as the brown eyed man shook his head in fear. 

"Where are you-" Tom started, being cut off by Travis who sensed what the younger man was asking. 

"Calm down. I'm just going to get you a cold washcloth so you can wash your face. It will make you feel better. That's what my dad always said, at least." Travis waited till Tom released his arm. 

Upon Travis returning, he was pleased to see that Tom had listened and was now wearing the black hoodie. Holding out the damp cloth, Tom took it and ran it over his warm face, giving a slight smile at Travis as he watched. 

Tom raised the hood on the jacket and took a deep breath before he walked purposely to the doorway. Turning his head, he received an encouraging smile from Travis. 

Moments later, Tom was struggling to gather the courage to knock. "Fuck, Thomas. Just do it." He spoke to himself, and quickly knocked before he could change his mind. 

Tom's eyes fell to the floor as he waited for the door to open. He heard giggling and the lock being undone from behind the large white door. 

Tom swallowed as the door quickly opened half way, a girl leaning against the doorframe appearing. Her polished hand ran up and down the edge of the door. 

"Hi! Wow, you're Tom DeLonge!" The girl marveled. Her dark brown eyes sparkled as she looked at him, taking in his half rumpled state. 

"Um, yea. Is Mark in here?" His thumbs found their way to Mark's dark red waffle knit pajama pants. He curled his bare toes into the long fabric of the pajamas, glancing up at the brunette before him. 

"Yea, he is, he's such an amazing lyricist, you're so lucky to be able to work with him whenever you want! Mark? Tom's here!" She called out. The girl held out her hand to Tom as he stepped into the hotel room, anxiety bubbling up until he caught sight of Mark's familiar face. 

"I'm Natalia, by the way. I'm a big fan!" Tom looked to the girl's outstretched hand. Realizing she wanted to shake his hand, Tom held out his own to greet her. 

He looked over to Mark as he saw his hand shaking slightly. "Um, Mark? I'm sorry to bother you, can I talk to you for a moment?" Tom asked, shoving both hands into his hoodie pockets.

Mark was bent over a sketch pad, scribbling and crossing out words as he re-read them in his head. The older man quickly glanced up, not even phased by Tom's scruffy appearance. 

Tom bit his lip as he tried to wait patiently for Mark's attention. 

Mark sighed and looked at the paper again, turning to another brunette who was sitting beside him on the small love seat. He showed her the notepad and reached out blindly to take a drink from the beer bottle on the coffee table. 

"Mark?" Tom questioned, his voice getting softer. 

Mark barely glanced at the younger man before replying, "Yea hold on, buddy."

Tom's eyes plummeted to the floor, shocked by Mark's lack of concern. Letting his hair fall into his eyes, Tom was grateful he had pulled his hood up. Perhaps the strangers in the room wouldn't notice the fierce blush washing over his cheeks. 

Mark tilted the bottle in his hands back as he sipped the last bits of his beer. Natalia placed another cold bottle next to the newly finished one. The glass bottles clinking together made Tom cringe. 

Mark thanked her before standing up and motioning for Tom to follow him closer to the door, leaving about ten feet in between the two of them and the girls. 

"Whadja need, buddy?" Mark slurred his words leaning against the wall and crossed his arms. 

Tom's eyes crawled up to Mark's blue ones, noticing the unfocused gleam in them. "Buddy?" Tom whispered, questioning Mark's words. 

'Buddy' was not one of the words Mark used with Tom, not since before Mark and Tom began seeing each other. 

'Love', 'Hun', 'Sweetie', 'Baby', yes, but 'Buddy'? No way. 

"Well?" Mark spoke with impatience, looking at Tom with annoyance, Tom could feel it. He stuttered to find the right words to let Mark know he needed him right now, he needed his boyfriend to comfort him. 

"M-m-m-mark, I had a b-bad dream. I woke up and y-y-you weren't th-there. Travis s-said you'd b-be back s-s-s-soon but..." Tom paused, Mark's eyes were on the girls giggling not far away from them. 

"Mark!" Tom cried out, startling the older man. Mark frowned and turned back to the hooded boy. 

"What?" Oblivious to what Tom was upset over, Mark glanced again over to the girls. 

"Mark, please come lay down with me. I need you." Tom pushed the words from his mouth, honestly afraid of how Mark would answer him. 

"Tom, I told you buddy. I'm working on some lyrics with the girls. We're in the middle of something great! Not right now, I'll be back in a little bit." Mark rolled his shoulders and patted Tom on the cheek. 

Tom took a step back at Mark's odd behavior. "You didn't say any of that to me. I didn't even know you fucking left me!" 

Tom was starting to get frustrated by Mark's lack of compassion. 

Mark laughed and began to turn, intent on walking back to the girls. "Sorry, man! I must have told Travis then. I'll be back to the room in a little bit."

"Mark wait!" Tom pleaded, reaching out for his shoulder. 

Mark raised an eyebrow in question. Tom whispered, "Where's Piggy?"

Mark paused and scratched his forehead. "Hmm, on the bus." Mark turned once again in an attempt to go back to writing with 'the girls'. Tom reached out again to stop him. 

"Wait, on the bus? Where on the bus? Will...will you go with me to get him?" Tom's questions flew out of his mouth before he could stop them. 

"No! What the fuck Tom? I'm busy right now. Go back to the fucking room, I'll be there in a little while! I'm in the middle of a great piece if I haven't lost it yet because of you bothering me!" Mark harshly shouted at the younger boy. The room fell silent as Mark's loud voice rang out. 

Tom took a shaky breath in, Mark rarely yelled at Tom. He watched as his boyfriend walked back to the couch, now sitting in between the brunette from before and a blonde girl he hadn't noticed before. 

"Sorry." Tom whispered, watching as Mark gulped his beer and let it hit the table with a loud clunk. Beer sloshed onto the coffee table. The younger man left the room, hoping no one saw the tears splashing down his face. 

Tom knocked softly on the hotel room door he shared with Travis and Mark. He was thankful the three were bunking together tonight; a blessing in disguise that the hotel had been overbooked. 

Otherwise he would have been entirely alone. 

Travis opened the door moments later, eyes full of surprise, taking in the sad boy in front of him.

 "No Mark?" He gently asked. 

Tom shook his head. Sniffling he moved past the drummer to slide on some flip flops. "He's...busy right now. He said he wouldn't be much longer. Um, could you come with me out to the bus? Mark left Piggy there and I...I..." Tom couldn't finish his sentence as sadness overwhelmed him. 

"Uh...yea sure. Just let me grab some shoes." Travis replied while moving a pile of clothes off his sneakers. He glanced at the T.V. screen before shoving his sock covered feet into the warn Vans. Then he snuck a peek at Tom. 

The boy was wiping away the tears that had managed to slip out. His eyes met Travis's as his fingers moved to the drawstrings on his pajamas. 

"Ready Tom?" Travis stood and asked, holding open the door. 

"Ready Spaghetti..." Tom replied, frowning as he recalled Mark's words. 

"At least you got me, buddy!" Travis tried to cheer the taller man up. 

The two men walked into the hallway, Travis checking to see if he had his wallet with the key card before letting the door shut all the way. 

"I'm sorry you're missing your fight because of me. I really appreciate it though." Tom said softly, not wanting to raise his voice over a whisper in the deserted hallway. 

"It's not a problem, buddy. I'm sure I won't miss much." Travis patted Tom on the back, noting the frown that had graced his face. 

"Mark called me 'Buddy' tonight. Did you know that? Buddy. He's like a completely different person. I didn't like it... I hope he comes back soon." Tom confided as they waited for the elevator to arrive. 

Travis stayed silent, just nodding in agreement with the boy. 

The two men reached the hotel lobby in no time and made their way to the parking lot. The lights in the lot were all flickering, only a few here and there were solidly lit. 

Travis, not even noticing the amount of lightening in the night began briskly walking across the parking lot to where the buses were parked. 

Travis halted when he noticed Tom hanging back, visibly debating whether or not to follow the drummer into the darkness. 

"Tom? Don't you want Piggy?" Travis asked, unable to see the boy's face in the shadows. 

Tom looked into the distance at the buses. Moving his eyes back to the shorter man he stepped forward. A small whimper left Tom's lips, utter despair crawling through his veins. 

"I'll race you." Travis challenged. 

Had there been enough light, the drummer would have seen the brown eyes boy raise his eyebrows, easily distracted from his fear. 

Tom took off, yelling over his shoulder, "You're on, Loser!"

Travis smiled and ran as fast as he could to their bus, not wanting to let Tom get too far ahead of him, just in case. 

Lucky for Tom, their bus was under a street light that was not having any electrical issues. He stood staring up at the light as Travis slowed down, and stood next to him staring up into the brightness as well. 

"Such a simple thing, a light. Makes all the difference in how things are viewed. Think about it. What's a simple object, like a mop bucket or a can of spray paint in light? Just it's normal self, but when you turn off the light you get monsters and... aliens." Tom babbled, slowly turning and looking at his friend. 

Travis looked back at him, and smiled. He walked up to the door of the bus and opened it. He flicked the lights on and motioned for Tom to board first. 

The brown eyed boy climbed the stairs and looked behind him, making sure Travis was indeed following. He then stepped over a fallen stack of CDs and continued to the bunks. 

Pulling back Mark's bunk curtain, Tom breathed a sigh of relief as he located Piggy, tucked safely under Mark's blanket. 

Tom kissed Piggy on the snout and snorted at the toy. Looking down at the empty bunk, the brown eyed boy gently ran his fingers over Mark's pillow. 

Tom felt better walking back across the parking lot to the hotel lobby now that he had Piggy. Travis tried to make conversation with the slightly younger man. 

By the time the two men stepped into the elevator, Tom was yawning loudly. Travis smiled at the boy, watching as he let Piggy prance along the railing inside the small elevator box. 

As Tom waited for Travis to find the key card to unlock the door, he lifted himself onto his tippy toes, bringing the small pink toy up to his lip ring. The pig's left front hoof ran lightly over his piercing as he followed the shorter man into the hotel room. 

Tom glanced around the room before slumping his shoulders and unzipping his hoodie. Travis sat back on his bed and tried to catch up on what he missed in his fight on the television. 

Without taking his eyes off the T.V., Travis spoke to the boy. "I was hoping he'd be here too." 

Tom flipped his sandals off, watching as they hit softly against the wall shared with the girls next door. 

Moving in between the two double beds, Tom looked at the bed he occupied before his nightmare then over to the bed Travis was reclining on. 

Travis scooted to the center of the bed and patted the spot next to him. The guitarist sniffled and thanked his friend softly before climbing under the covers. 

Tom turned on his side so he could see the door. Feeling Travis leaning over him, he pulled Piggy tight into his chest and raised his eyes for a moment, seeing the drummer flick off the light switch for the bedside lamp. 

Tom scooted half an inch back so that his back was flush against Travis's right leg. He returned his gaze over to the door and wished for Mark's return. 

Tom fell asleep with Piggy against his nose, inhaling Mark's faint scent. 

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Mark fumbled with his key card, trying to gain access to Blink's hotel room. Dropping it, Mark reached out to grab the small rectangular piece of plastic, catching it with a loud thump against the door. 

He giggled as he looked around, wishing someone could have seen his awesome save. On Mark's fifth try, the door beeped quietly and lit up green, allowing him to enter the dark room. 

The tipsy man made his way to the closest bed, sitting down on it and groaning as he bent to pull off his shoes. He squinted his eyes at the small digital clock on the dresser and leaned forward. The bright red numbers read, "3:57".

Tom jumped a little as Mark hit the floor in a loud heap of drunken words. Tom could hear Mark's belt buckle hitting the wall and slide down. 

He stayed still, eyes open, squinting into the darkness. Tom blinked and watched as Mark stumbled into the bed across from him and fell face first into the pillows. 

"Mark?" He whispered. His small word was met with a loud snore from the older man. 

The brown eyed man frowned and felt his chin wobble. Tom turned away from Mark's now sleeping form and tilted his head forward onto Travis's shoulder. 

"He didn't even check on me..." Tom felt around for his small stuffed toy. 

The pink pig soaked up the silent tears that fell from the boy's sad eyes. 

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Tom woke up the next morning wrapped in warm arms. The boy sighed happily as he realized his own arms were tossed across a flat bare stomach. 

Mark was being a super cuddler this morning, and Tom wasn't kicked once during the night. 

Tom nuzzled his nose into the chest next to him. The younger man froze when his nose brushed over a nipple. Tom reached his hand up to run it across the sleeping man. 

Tom was laying on the right side of the sleeping body. Mark's right nipple had a piercing in it. The chest next to him, that he was pressed up against extremely intimately, was bare. 

Tom opened his brown eyes, trying to figure out exactly who he was cuddled up with. The guitarist immediately recognized the ghetto blaster inked across skin. 

"Shit." Tom whispered to himself. 

"Hey, it could be worse. You could be waking up next to a stranger. Now, that could be awkward." Travis's voice rasped. 

"Not that I have before or anything." He added, opening a blue eye to peer down at Tom. 

"You knew we were..." Tom spoke quietly, trailing off as his cheeks turned a rosie color. He swallowed and continued, "...that we were all wrapped up together and you didn't untangle us? That's just...wrong."

Travis shrugged. "Well, you haven't been sleeping well. Besides, Mark won't care."

"I care though. I-I love him, even though he was an ass last night." The younger man reasoned, pulling himself off of the drummer and stood next to the bed he was just peacefully sleeping in. 

The rumpled boy looked to the bed he saw Mark fall into during the night. 

His eyes were met with empty sheets. 

The young boy rubbed his eyes, sure he had in fact seen the drunken man return before morning's first light. 

Tom's face perked up when he heard the bathroom door open. 

Mark strolled out with a fluffy bathrobe adorning his body, still damp from the shower. A white towel was wrapped around his head. 

The older man walked to his bag and pulled out a pair of jean shorts and a light pink t-shirt. He scavenged a bit more before giving up and walking over to Tom's bag. 

Tom, who had been silent up until this point, spoke with a small waver in his voice. "Can I help you find something?" 

The blue eyed singer looked over to Tom, as if noticing him for the first time. He held up a pair of Tom's light grey boxer briefs. 

"Nope. Got everything I need." Mark said sweetly. He pulled the towel off his head and stepped into the underwear, sliding it up and under his terrycloth bathrobe. 

"But that's the last clean pair I have!" Tom whined. Mark finished getting dressed and dropped the robe on the floor, next to his towel. 

"Guess you'll just have to go commando won't you?" Mark wiggled his eyebrows at the blushing man. 

"Oh for the love of God, stop before you give ME nightmares." Travis sat up and looked between the two men. 

He brushed off the covers and made his way to the bathroom, grabbing his backpack on the way. 

When he passed Mark he raised his chin and took a step closer. "Remember what I said to you last night? Well you screwed up again, as usual. Talk to him and fix your shit. This is fucking bullshit what you're doing. Don't act all cute and like nothing happened. Do your job. Be his boyfriend." 

Travis looked at Tom, who had sat down on the bed Mark had slept in, with his eyes wide starring at the two. The drummer continued on to the bathroom. 

Before shutting the door Travis looked at Mark, who was staring at Tom. "I can't believe I have to tell you this stuff. Worst boyfriend of the year award goes to..." Travis paused to do a drumroll on the doorframe. "Mr. Hoppus!"

The door shut with a click. Mark didn't move until he heard the lock engage. Tom had not picked his eyes up off the floor where Mark was busy curling and uncurling his toes. 

The older man sat down next to the taller one and took Tom's hands into his own. "Tommy, I'm really sorry about how I acted last night. I woke up this morning and saw you holding onto Travis. It sobered me up real quick. Baby? Are you listening?" 

Mark shook Tom's hands, causing the brown eyes to rise to his own blue ones. Tom swallowed and choked out, "You have hairy feet." 

"I do not! I keep them shaved and groomed very well like the rest of me! My feet are beautiful. I can't believe you'd-" Mark stopped his ranting when he heard a giggle escape Tom. 

He couldn't help but smile at the younger man. Mark waited for the giggling to subside, simply enjoying the happiness that radiated off the younger man. It had been a while since he had laughed like this. 

"ADD much, Mark?" Tom smirked. 

"Shut up. I can't help it. You love me anyways. Right? You do love me still, right Tom?" Mark asked with a concerned look.

Tom felt himself staring into Mark's eyes. He didn't want to give in so easily, he wanted to make Mark anxious and feel unsure about what was going on between the two of them. 

He wanted Mark to know that how he acted the previous night was unacceptable and that his boyfriend couldn't do that to him. Emotionally, Tom just couldn't handle it. 

He also just really wanted to tackle the older man and leave a trail of kisses all over his body, he wanted to curl up in the shorter man's lap and have his best friend hug him and whisper sweet nothing's into his ear. 

Tom shook his head, effectively bringing himself back to reality. "Sweet nothing's?" 

"What?" Mark questioned, causing the younger boy to blush. 

"Nothing, I said nothing." Tom attempted to cover up his slip up. 

Mark leaned in and hovered a moment by Tom's ear. The brown eyed boy let his eyes flutter closed as he felt the hot air leaving the bassist's lips. 

"Tom," Mark paused, closing the gap between the two and pressed a searing kiss into the boy's ear. 

"I love you, forgive me." He begged. 

Tom's response was a little delayed, he was far too distracted with the way his young body was reacting to the close contact. 

Gulping, the guitarist turned to face the older man, his knee resting against the older one's hip as Tom twisted on the bed. 

"I had a nightmare last night, and you weren't there. I begged you to help me, and you just... you ignored me and treated me like I was a nobody. Mark, it hurt so much. I cried for you, and you didn't save me. You didn't chase away my n-nightmare." Tom's voice cracked on the last word. 

Crumbling against Mark, his breath quickened and the hot saltiness bit at the corners of his eyes. "Saying 'I love you' doesn't make it all better!" Tom took a ragged breath in, desperately holding back the sob that the young guitarist had been suppressing. 

"Are...are you breaking up with me?" Tom's eyes shot up as the words left Mark's mouth. Tears were already welling in the older man's eyes. They spilt over as Tom stayed silent. 

"Tom, no Tom. Please no, oh God. Fuck, please no. Don't leave me, please. You're my everything. I'm such a-Fuck! Fuck, fuck!" Mark scooted back from the silent man and threw himself into the hotel comforter, his sobs increasing as he felt his heart dropping. 

Tom got off the bed and wiped his eyes. He too had been crying. With a sad frown, he stepped towards the bed he had slept in and lifted the covers. 

Finding what he had been searching for, he returned to the bed Mark was collapsed upon. Holding out his arm, he let the item in his hands graze over the back of Mark's neck. 

Mark turned slightly, eyes red, puffy and still seeping tears. He opened his mouth to speak but all that left his throat was a garbled sob. 

Tom pressed Piggy into Mark's cheek, nudging the older man with the stuffed toy. 

"I-I-I can't believe you're giving m-m-m-me Piggy. This is so fucked u-up and backwards." Mark stuttered, gasping for air. 

He took the soft toy and clutched it for dear life. 

Tom put a hand on the heaving shoulder in front of him, never having seen Mark react this way. This was way worse than the dressing room fiasco. 

"Mark? I...I am not breaking up with you. I love you too much, and even though I should, and I have every reason to do it, I can't. I need you." Tom was barely able to finish his sentence before Mark pressed himself against the younger man.

Piggy was still clutched in Mark's left hand as he pressed his palms into Tom's cheeks and let his lips and tongue explore the taller man's mouth. 

Tom ran his hands through Mark's hair, still slightly damp. 

"I expect some fucking awesome make up sex." Tom said with a straight face. 

Mark gasped, not because of how nervous he felt, they had not reached this stage before, but because he knew how much Tom wanted it. He could see it in his eyes. 

He wanted it too, and he loved how his body reacted to the boy's words. 

Piggy was dropped as Mark crawled over Tom, pressing him against the bed.


	16. Chapter 16

Mark held himself up, hovering over his boyfriend. He leaned his head down, bending his elbows slightly allowing his lips to meet the younger one's. He slowly lowered himself onto Tom's body, letting out a moan when he felt Tom as turned on as himself. 

"Baby, are you sure?" Mark asked in between kisses. 

Tom responded by taking the blue eyed man's right hand and pressing it flush against the zipper on his own pants. 

Mark bit his lip and closed his eyes, pressing his hand into the fabric and grasping Tom's hard cock. 

Mark's kiss cut off Tom's moan. The bassist's lips moved down to Tom's neck, caressing the skin with his tongue. 

Tom asked breathlessly, "Does that answer your question?"

Smiling, Mark said, "It tells me that you are quite turned on, that's for sure." 

Mark sat up and straddled the taller man. With eager eyes, Mark pushed Tom's shirt up and helped him undress, soaking up the smooth pale skin. Running his fingers delicately over the younger one's stomach, his eyes flickered up to watch Tom's face. 

Deep brown eyes were hidden behind fluttering eyelashes, his lips parted letting hot air come out from his lungs in short rushes. Mark studied the boy's pink cheeks, and slowly made his way over his flushed chest and down his slender arms. 

His gaze stopped on Tom's hands. The guitarist's fingers were twisted with the plaid comforter. 

Brown eyes suddenly reappeared as Mark spoke softly. "You're nervous."

Tom swallowed before licking his lips and replied with a weak, "So?"

"So, this is important. It has to be done right..." Mark trailed off, sitting more on his knees, relieving some pressure on Tom's lower half. 

The boy groaned as Mark reduced physical contact between them. Meeting Mark's eyes, he twisted his fingers a little more into the fabric of the blankets. He froze when Mark's eyes moved, watching his hands. 

"Tom," Mark began again. 

Nervously, Tom acknowledged the older man and he continued, "You remember a few years ago, when you told me that time you were at that party without me and you said you hooked up with that girl, Jennifer?"

Tom struggled to keep his hands still. He bit his lip as his eyes fell to Mark's hands. The younger man's tongue snuck out and ran across his dry lips, sliding his lip ring from right to left. He knew where this conversation was going, and he didn't like it. 

"Did you actually fuck her?" Mark asked, peering down at the man below him. 

"No." Tom whispered, letting go of the blanket and covering his face. 

"Then... Fuck." Mark paused and rolled off of the boy, falling heavily beside him. He removed Tom's hot hands, revealing a shamed look on the younger guitarist's face. 

"Baby, are you still a virgin?" Mark asked softly, pulling the tall boy closer to him and into his arms. 

Tom didn't answer him right away. He let himself be pulled into Mark's arms and debated how he should answer his boyfriend. He grew nervous, knowing the longer he took answering Mark's question the more guilty he looked. 

"You won't laugh, right?" Tom gazed into Mark's blue eyes, seeking an understanding. 

"Never." Mark punctuated with a small kiss to Tom's temple. 

"I'm still one. It's embarrassing though... It's not because I haven't had the opportunity to do so, its just it never felt right." Tom's hands found their way to Mark's and he weaved their fingers together. 

The guitarist continued, "I didn't want to lie to you, it's just I didn't want you to know I chickened out with Jen. We were so close to doing it and I just fucking realized I couldn't do it. It wasn't romantic or special or anything."

Tom blushed at his own sappy admission when his own words sunk in. "Now you probably think I'm such a dork for wanting my first time to be special." 

A small smile played on Mark's lips. "Not at all hun, I wish my first time had been special. I wasn't at all ready for it, but I rushed it and ended up with a girl against a washing machine. It's much better if it's special."

"It would be pretty special if it were with you though." Tom looked at Mark with hope in his eyes. 

Mark presses a warm sweet kiss into the middle of Tom's forehead.

"I don't want to rush things with you..." The older man whispers, his lips still against the boy's skin. 

Mark pulls back when he feels Tom's forehead wrinkle. He is even more surprised as he watches Tom swiftly sit up and throw a leg over his stomach, effectively pinning Mark to the bed. 

Tom gives a half hearted punch, connecting his fist with a small thud into the older man's chest. 

"No! You promised me awesome make up sex for what you put me through last night! Dammit, I want my make up sex!" Tom said forcefully. 

"Then what are you doing so far away from my body?" Mark ran his fingers over the edge of Tom's chin. 

Tom stared at his boyfriend, unsure of what Mark meant. He blinked four times before he was pulled down flat against Mark's body. 

Their mouths met and wrestled for dominance. Tom may have been a virgin, but that hadn't stopped him from becoming quite skilled with his mouth and tongue. 

In between breathy gasps, Tom managed to pull Mark's shirt up and over his head, throwing it against the wall. 

Mark pushed down Tom's pajama pants, leaving the younger one's boxers untouched. 

The brown eyed man struggled with the button on Mark's jeans. His frustration was met with a small giggle from the older man. 

"Relax babe, let me help." Mark offered, smiling at the boy's pout. 

He expertly unbuttoned his pants with one hand, letting his other hand cup the back of Tom's head, pushing him deeper into their kiss. 

Tom pulled away from the older man's kiss and crawled backwards down to the edge of the bed. 

Grasping both pant legs, Tom pulled on the jean fabric and flung the pants against the same wall Mark's shirt had hit. 

Tom felt his own erection grow as he gazed at Mark's nearly naked body, taking his time to appreciate the tent in the grey boxer briefs Mark had borrowed from him. 

"Are you planning on collecting on this make up sex you keep asking for or are you just going to eye rape me?" 

Tom smiled sheepishly and happily crawled back up Mark's body, brushing their erections against each other. 

Mark had scooted back as Tom closed in on him and slid his legs under the blankets. Tom reached for the tan sheet and plaid comforter and pulled it up and over his back. 

The brown eyed singer had to bite back a gasp as he felt the heat from Mark's cock through the fabric of the grey boxers. 

Mark pushed his head back against the pillow as he felt Tom descend down to his chest. The taller man's hands danced over his upper chest and over his left nipple. 

A low moan tumbled out from Mark's mouth as Tom's lip ring clinked softly with his nipple ring. 

Mark began to babble, "Fuck, Tom, baby-" 

He was cut off by an outraged bandmate who happened to finish showering and reentered the hotel room. 

"Dude! Dudes?" Travis gasped, frozen in the small hallway from the bathroom to the bedroom. 

The two boxer clad men paused their actions, unsure of what to do. They hadn't been caught red handed in this type of predicament before. 

Mark glanced at Travis, as his head was the only thing the drummer could see. 

Under the blankets, Tom was breathing hard. He could feel Mark tense his chest each time Tom exhaled. A mischievous smile graced his face as a thought ran through his mind. 

Mark had to use all his self control not to buck at the sensation of Tom's hot tongue running over his nipple under the blankets, hidden from Travis's shocked eyes. 

"Dude, you know that I know you're under there right? Quit messing with him, I don't want to witness Mark cream his pants. Just wait till I'm out of here. Two seconds." Travis laughed lightly as a blush rolled over Mark's exposed face. 

Travis leaned down to place his backpack on the floor next to the dresser. He slipped his shoes on and grabbed his cell phone, checking it and sliding it in his jeans. 

"Yo, you guys going to go get breakfast after?" Travis looked over to Mark expectantly, momentarily forgetting the embarrassing situation they were all in. 

Travis dropped his eyes to the carpet, mumbling, "You know what, never mind. Text me if you guys are going to come down."

Mark let out a sigh of relief as Travis shut the door, exiting the hotel room. Mark shoved the covers off of Tom, arching his back as Tom rolled his tongue over his very sensitive nipple. 

"You are so not being nice..." He gasped trying to wriggle away from Tom's tongue. 

"Who said I had to be nice?" Tom said through a smile. 

Mark felt Tom slide off his chest and press his long body against the side of the bassist. Feeling the younger man's fingers dancing at the waistband of his underwear, Mark grabbed his hand. 

A pout grew on Tom's young face. "What now? I told you I was sure! Why don't you believe me?"

"Just relax. I need to get lube and a condom." Mark explained, running his fingers through the brown eyed boy's hair as a small fearful look flashed across his face. 

"Baby, I'll take care of you." Mark whispered, gently running his hand down the side of Tom's face. 

The younger man swallowed and watched as Mark stood up and rummaged through his bag. Finding a small black cardboard box, he opened it and pulled out a gold foil square. 

"What's that?" The taller man asked timidly. Mark tossed him the small square. Tom blushed as he read the black lettering on the condom.

"Oh," He gulped, "I didn't know they made that kind."

Mark chuckled as he turned to search in his bag for the small plastic bottle. 

"Well, those kind are made for...um, bigger guys. If you don't have the uh... right size it can um, break or slip off." Mark stumbled over his words, slightly embarrassed. 

Tom sucked in a gasp as Mark's words sunk in. The older man walked back to the bed, placing a clear bottle filled with a slippery liquid on the bedside table. 

"Are you sure you're ready? You look terrified of me and this isn't exactly the most romantic thing..." Mark ran a hand through his hair and continued, "...it being a hotel and all."

"I'm not terrified," Tom protested, "Just a little nervous. W-why do we need the condom and lube?" 

Mark sat down next to Tom, who had since turned over on his stomach. "Tom, it's necessary because unless you have a vagina I don't know about, I'm pretty sure you don't secrete your own liquids, at least, not enough for lubrication."

Tom hid his face after hearing the obvious answer. 

"As for the condom, it's just what you do. Never ever let anyone near you if they aren't going to use one. Or lube for that matter." Mark spoke quietly, wanting to make sure that Tom understood the seriousness of his words. 

"Okay baby? Never. You hear me?" 

Tom looked at Mark, noticing the dark color in his eyes. The younger man nodded and scooted into the middle of the bed, letting Mark climb in next to him. 

Mark pressed a kiss into Tom's cheek. "I don't mean to ruin the moment or anything, hun. I just don't want you hurt. It would kill me." 

Tom took Mark's hands and twisted their fingers together. His warm brown eyes looked into Mark's own blues, noticing the color had lightened up considerably. 

His eyes fell again to their hands, rubbing his thumbs over Mark's. He bit his lip and raised his eyes to meet Mark's once more. 

"What?" Mark's voice seemed to echo in Tom's head. 

"Have you... H-have you ever been with a guy before?" The younger one whispered. His eyes were staring at Mark's hands, Tom was too embarrassed to meet his eyes. 

"I have. A couple times. Which is why you have to promise me you will always be safe. Doesn't matter if it's a chick or a dude." Mark played with a lock of Tom's dark brown hair.

Finally, Tom raised his eyes, speaking so softly that Mark had to hold his breath to hear. "I don't plan on having sex with anyone else, ever."

Mark smiled, enjoying the sweetness of Tom's honest words and kissed him. Letting his tongue roll over the boy's  lip ring, he pulled the small silver ring into his mouth, enjoying the slightly metallic taste. 

Feeling the tug on his lip, Tom moaned. Mark slid his leg over the boy's hips and slightly rocked, letting the thin fabric of their boxers slide against each other. 

It wasn't long before Tom was gasping for air, arching his back pushing his hips up into Mark's. The taller guitarist was trying to get his body out from under Mark's and roll so that he could be the one in control. 

"Baby, let me do this. You keep trying to run this- let me. You got to slow down or the party is going to be over before it even begins." Mark moved down to kiss Tom's neck, moving the slightest bit to suck on his right ear lobe. 

"Ughhhhh..." Tom groaned before giving in and letting Mark make his way over his body. Mark paid close attention to every dip and bump on Tom's young body. He pulled the taller boy's boxers down in one swift motion, surprising the younger one. 

A gasp escaped the brown eyed boy as he felt Mark's wet tongue glide over his hip bone. Mark smiled against Tom's smooth skin. He glanced up over the expanse of Tom's narrow waist. The blue eyed man ran a hand over the younger man's upper stomach and the ribs that stuck out a tad bit with Tom's deep breaths. 

He spread his hand flat over Tom's chest, feeling the rapid beating of his boyfriend's heart. Smiling, he saw Tom's eyes were already closed. He pressed firmly with his right hand into the gasping man's chest. Waiting till he saw Tom's eyes fly open at the sudden forcefulness, Mark quickly grabbed the taller man's cock, sliding the entire head into his warm mouth. 

Tom cried out at the sudden sensation and lifted his body in surprise. Preparing for this, Mark kept his hand in place as he bobbed up and down, gradually taking more of Tom into his mouth. 

"Maaark! What- holy shit. Fuck! Baby!" As Tom babbled, Mark smiled, fully enjoying the sounds of his lover completely and utterly besides himself. 

When Mark removed his mouth from Tom's throbbing cock, the younger one protested with a whimper. 

"I'm, I'm so fucking close, Mark..." Tom trailed off. 

Mark left his hand wrapped around the base of Tom's cock and pumped it lightly. He laughed, hearing the other man's whine. "Baby, you don't even know what close is. Just wait. It's going to be like the fucking fourth of July when I'm done with you."

"I'm going to wet my finger, Tom. Okay? And I'm going to touch you... down there." Mark whispered, keeping his hand tight against Tom's flesh. 

Tom swallowed, tensing and whispered a "Yes." 

"Okay, here I go." Mark spoke as he licked his middle finger on his left hand. With his elbow he moved Tom's right leg. Pushing it so that it was bent at an angle, allowing him to have better access to Tom's tight virgin hole. 

Sliding his finger near the dark cherry pucker, he froze when Tom tensed and shouted, "Wait! No!"

Mark bit his lip, looking up from where he was focused intently on. "Baby? You okay?" Mark asked.

Tom had his eyes clenched shut, breathing deeply. His lips were drawn in a straight line. His lip ring was sticking straight out. 

"Okay, I'm ready. You're... You'll be gentle right?" The brown eyed boy nervously asked.

"Absolutely. You will enjoy it. I promise you." Mark whispered in return and licked his finger again. 

He slowly moved it back to the tense, scrunched spiral. 

A small whimper escaped Tom's lips as Mark pressed his slick finger in past the tight ring of muscle. Mark licked the slit on Tom's still hard cock, trying to distract him from the uncomfortable feeling.

Mark could feel the resistance decrease on his middle finger as he ran his tongue over the head of Tom's penis. Mark pushed his finger all the way inside his boyfriend and continued to lick the leaking tip. 

When his finger wouldn't go in any further, Mark paused, waiting for Tom to adjust. Moving his right hand up and down the thick shaft, Mark left little kisses on Tom's raised leg. 

"How you doing, babe? You feel okay?" Mark asked, full of concern. 

Tom took a couple of deep breaths before answering, "Is this supposed to feel good? Cause right now it just feels like I have a giant pole shoved up my ass." He shifted uncomfortably before asking, "How many fingers are in there? All five?"

Mark chuckled before answering him, "Just one baby."

"Fuck, I don't know if anything more will fit!" Tom gasped, feeling Mark slowly start to move his finger. He pulled his finger out and let go of Tom all together to reach for the Astroglide bottle on the nightstand. 

Pouring a quarter size puddle onto his pointer and middle finger he moved the liquid over his long digits. He wrapped his other hand back around the top of Tom's cock, right below the head and focused some pressure on his lover's sensitive spot. 

"Okay Baby, I'm going to put another finger in. It's going to feel really tight, but I'm going to make it feel so good. You've never felt anything like this before." Mark assured the naked boy before him. 

"Okay, but I dont think- Ahhh!" Tom began, screaming slightly when Mark pressed two lubed fingers in past the tight ring of muscle. 

"It's okay, babe." Mark whispered repeatedly as he searches for a small chestnut sized bump. After pressing his fingers about two inches into Tom's hole, he knew he had found it by the way Tom's scream turned into a loud moan. 

"Feel that? That's your prostate. Like a guy's G-spot. Imagine me tapping that over and over again with my cock." Mark pressed it two more times before pulling out. 

Tom whimpered from the loss of pressure, arching his back in frustration. Looking down, Tom watched as Mark leaned over him, reaching a hand out to grab the small square foil. 

Tom bit his lip in anticipation, watching as Mark made eye contact while he ripped the small package with his teeth. Mark twisted the top of the rubber condom, creating a small bubble. 

Tom watched curiously, wanting to ask the older man's reasoning behind his actions, but held back in fear of further embarrassment. 

"It's so when I cum, I don't break the condom. Not that you'll get pregnant, but it's going to feel messy enough." Mark explained, seeming to read Tom's mind. 

The younger man continued to watch as Mark balanced on his knees above him and rolled the condom down his shaft. He leaned back down and over Tom, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. 

Mark pulled away and grabbed an extra pillow from behind Tom's head. Lifting the brown eyed boy's hips with ease, he pushed the pillow under his lower back, propping Tom's bottom a bit into the air. 

Tom tensed as Mark lined his rubber clad cock up with Tom's entrance. Mark ran his hand down the boy's hip and moving down the length of his leg. 

"Relax Tom, I'm going to be honest with you. It's going to hurt at first. I promise I'll be as gentle and slow as possible, but it will feel good. Well," Mark paused, smiling down at the slightly nervous boy, "I personally think it will feel Earth-shatteringly amazing, but we'll see, right?"

Tom giggled as he bit his lip, nodding his head when he saw Mark was waiting for permission to begin. 

Mark lubed his cock up before replacing it at Tom's entrance. Tom felt pressure at his hole, and clenched his eyes shut as he felt Mark beginning to enter him. 

"Baby, you have to relax. Don't tense up, it'll make it worse." Mark whispered to the man below him. 

The guitarist opened his eyes and tried taking deep slow breaths as Mark inched his way in. Mark stayed still, letting Tom adjust to his size. After thirty seconds, Tom would nod and Mark would slide in deeper. 

Soon enough, Mark was in all the way. Tom could feel Mark's hips against his cheeks and he took a shaky breath in. 

Mark asked, "How you doing, love?" Watching intently for any sign of distress from his boyfriend. 

"Well, I'm waiting for the Earth-shatteringness. I feel... full. Maybe move around some and it will be better." Tom answered, wiggling a little.

"Finally!" Mark exclaimed and pulled out an inch before colliding their hips together. Tom 'umpfed' in surprise and reached up to grab Mark's shoulders. The older man repeated this motion, falling into a steady rhythm. The brown eyed singer began to get impatient as he waited for Mark to pick up the speed. 

After a dozen times of Mark inching his way out and rocking back into Tom, the taller man dug his nails into the back of Mark and ordered, "Fuck me harder."

Mark couldn't stop his mouth from dropping open at Tom's hardened words. Collecting himself, he closed his mouth and set it into a smirk and braced his arms on either sides of Tom's waist. 

Pulling nearly all the way out, Mark rocked his head back and forth inside his lover. After gaining a frustrated moan from Tom, he waited a couple seconds before slamming into the brown eyed man completely taking him by surprise. 

Tom cried out in pleasure as Mark thrust into him, causing the younger one to fist the sheets to prevent himself from sliding up and banging his head on the headboard. 

After a few minutes of hard, fast motions, Mark steadied himself with one arm and grabbed Tom's left thigh. Lifting it for a better angle, Mark continued thrusting into Tom searching for just the right spot. 

Tom had been gasping in a euphoric manner, completely enjoying the feeling of Mark within him. What he really loved, was hearing the way that Mark would grunt when Tom clenched his muscles.

The first time had been an accident. Tom tensed when the blue eyed man had raised his leg, allowing Mark to reach new depths within him. When the guitarist had tensed, he clenched his butt out of a natural reaction. 

The guttural moan that escaped Mark fell upon Tom like an intoxicating aroma. At first he hadn't understood what had caused it. Perhaps it was the new angle, the ability to pull Tom in to meet his thrusts or even the way Tom had bit his lip as Mark pushed into him. 

He realized it was the tightening of his muscles when Mark pulled his cock all the way out of Tom's hole and teased his entrance. He would rock back and forth just letting the lip on the head of his penis slip in and out a few times before pulling tight on Tom's leg and thrusting hard and deep into him. Mark had developed an erratic pattern as to keep Tom guessing and completely under his control. 

Tom tightened his asshole in anticipation and gripped Mark's cock tighter within him as he let out an animalistic grunt. 

Understanding that Tom knew what Mark was doing, he began searching for his sweet spot. Angling the boy's hips to find his G-spot, Mark knew he found it from the way Tom clenched the older man's hardened member and threw back his head, eyes wide open screaming, "Holy fucking shit, Mark!"

Mark grinned as he repeatedly hit the spot, sending waves of "Earth-shattering" pleasure rippling through the taller man's body. 

Tom felt completely out of control of his own body. He fisted the sheets as he moaned Mark's name over and over again as each ripple of excitement rolled through his body, beginning at his core in the pit of his stomach, up to the tip of his nose and down through his toes. 

Knowing that Mark was causing all of these feelings to stir within him, mixed with the knowledge of how he was causing Mark to moan and react in excitement, was getting him closer to the edge of a cataclysmic explosion within his inner being like never before. 

He had never been this stimulated without himself or Mark physically touching his penis. He looked up to Mark who was bent, hovering over the taller man. Mark had a look of concentration, eyes set dead on an arbitrary spot, mouth drawn in the tightest line. 

The words slipped from his lips before Tom could stop them, he was caught in a moment of pure adoration and felt the need to express it. 

"I love you, Mark." 

Mark instantly snapped out of his trance and gazed into Tom's deep brown eyes. He slowed his thrusts, making sure to consistently hit Tom in the right spot and leaned to kiss him full on the lips. He whispered an "I love you" in return. 

After a moment of foreheads being pressed together, Mark nudged Tom and leaned once again onto one arm. His free hand lightly ran over the younger one's stomach, causing him to feel ticklish and clench his ring of muscles inadvertently. Mark had to pause inside the boy. When he did, Tom looked into his eyes with confusion, unsure if he had done something wrong. 

"I have to slow down," Mark began, "or else I'm going to end up cuming before you. I want to try to do it at the same time." A dark red color washed over Mark's cheeks. 

Tom relaxed and ran his fingers up to thread his them through the hair on the back of Mark's head. He smiled as he raised his own head to kiss the older one passionately. 

The blue eyed man continued on his journey over the wrinkles in Tom's stomach, caused by him curling his lower half in such a way as to allow Mark full access to his ass. 

When the older man found what he was searching for, he wrapped his strong fingers around it and gripped it tightly, eliciting such a pained sound from Tom, Mark paused to make sure he was alright. 

"What's wrong, Hun?" Mark released his hand, letting Tom's semi hard cock fall back against his stomach. 

Mark raised his eyebrows in surprise when Tom quickly exclaimed, "No! Please, don't stop. Please, I'm so close already. Mark, touch me." 

"Christ, I thought I was hurting you!" The blue eyed man chuckled.

Tom whined until Mark replaced his hand, gripping the now hardened shaft at the middle. The older man gave a short quick stroke moving down to the base before moving up to the tip. 

The younger man reacted much like Mark thought he would. Tom squeezed his ass together and arched his back, exposing his neck and the underside of his chin. 

Mark continued staying still within the taller man and just concentrated on stroking Tom's cock slow and steady. Each time Mark completed a full stroke Tom would moan and beg for Mark to move and thrust into him. 

Finally Mark couldn't hold off any longer, he bit his lip and look down at Tom's flushed and damp face. "Baby," he whispered, voice full of love and blissfulness, "I'm going to start moving again, you ready for it?" 

Tom didn't let half a beat of his heart go by before replying, "Oh God, yes. Please, make lo-" Tom cut himself off, turning his head in embarrassment and trying to push his face deep into the pillow. 

Mark leaned down and nudged the embarrassed boy with his face. "Hey, Baby. This is definitely making love. And will gladly make love to you. You ready to have your world rocked?" 

With his lip ring pulled into his mouth, Tom nodded and braced his hands against the headboard above him. Mark began to slide in and out of Tom, timing his thrusts to the strokes of his hand against his lover's hardened flesh. 

Mark sped up and began having a hard time keeping his eyes open to keep eye contact with Tom's dark sultry eyes that were staring at him. 

Thrust for thrust was met with a moan from Mark and a "Yes, right there!" from Tom. Tom tightened his stomach, creating a smaller hole for Mark to fuck. The shorter man kept at a steady pace while Tom brought his hands down from the headboard and up to Mark's shoulders. 

The younger guitarist sank his nails into the tops of Mark's arms. The blue eyed man felt the increase in pressure everywhere, whileTom began to babble. 

"Mark, fuck Mark. Right, yes, there. Shit. Shit! Ah, yes, holy alien invasions. I'm gonna- fuck! Mark! I'm gonna- can I- please let me cum. I'm right there, cum with me Mark! MARK, FUCK!" 

Mark knew he was losing the war when he heard Tom begging him to cum with him. "Tom! Fuck, yes baby. Cum with me, shit. I'm cuming!" 

Mark began to twist his wrist at the top of Tom's cock. He could feel the unbelievable pressure of his cum rise up his shaft. He was filling the condom within Tom at a fast rate. Tom felt himself fill up and it threw him over the edge knowing that Mark was filling him with his seed. Tom looked up to see his lover's face flushed, then down to see Mark's strong hand twisting his cock at an incredible speed. 

Tom came all over his stomach and Mark's hand. 

Mark collapsed on top of Tom; both men breathing hard. Tom wrapped his arms around his boyfriend and pressed his face into the older man's neck to suppress his smile. 

He had made love with his boyfriend and he was ready to do it all over again for the rest of his life. He thought of how it had felt. He was buzzing. He was sticky. He was hungry and felt full at the same time. 

His stomach rumbled. 

Okay, maybe he was not that full. 

Mark pressed a tired kiss into Tom's cheek, squishing the boy's face. "I love you. That was perfect." He spoke softly, not wanting to break the humming that was floating through both men's bodies. 

Tom giggled, "You were so right. Completely Earth-shatteringly amazing."

Mark smiled into him, kissing him gently again before raising his upper body. "Alright, Tom," the older man began to warn, "Here comes the uncomfortable part. I've got to pull out of you. You're going to feel a little strange. It's going to be awkward to walk, but we can shower and that will help you." 

Mark began to pull his body away from Tom's. He placed a hand down to hold the condom in place while he pulled out. Tom brought his legs down to either side of Mark. He felt a tad bit stretched out, but it seemed manageable. 

He lay watching as Mark rolled the thin rubber tube off of his shaft and twisted it into a simple knot, tossing it into the garbage can by the dresser. The older man looked down at the boy staring up at him admiringly and smiled at him. 

"As beautiful as you look with cum drying on you, we should probably shower. C'mon love, I'll help you." Mark held out a hand waiting for Tom to take it. 

Tom brushed the offered hand away, "Nah, I'm fine. I don't need help."

The younger boy sat up and winced a little. Standing, Tom limped to the bathroom. "I told you it would be a little awkward!" Mark laughed while walking into the bathroom. 

"I'm..." Tom trailed off, reaching behind him to grab his sore ass. Tom frowned as he heard Mark turn on the water, starting the shower. 

"Holy crap, I feel like I just took the biggest shit of my life!" 

Mark hugged his stomach as he laughed, fixing the temperature for the two of them. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Mark walked slowly down the empty hallway, suppressing a giggle as he held Tom's hand. 

"Stop it! It's not funny Mark!" Tom pouted, trying to free his hand and push Mark away. The older man held tightly onto the younger one's hand, bringing it up to kiss before finally letting go and pressing the elevator call button. 

The two stood silently as they waited for the elevator doors to open. When it arrived, both men entered. Mark first walked on and turned to hold open the doors as Tom waddled on. 

"Tom, you look absolutely adorable when you waddle." Mark joked, breaking the seal on Tom's pout. A fit of giggles ensued from both men and they rode the elevator down to the main floor. 

The two men separated and walked into the large lobby. Tom tried his best to not look like he had just been on his back for the last hour getting the shit fucked out of him. Mark ruffled Tom's hair before breaking off to run to the bathroom. 

"You'll be alright? I can see Travis right from here. Just make your way over, alright hun?" Mark instantly grew quieter as an older couple walked by and threw a disgusted look at the two close men. 

"Yea, I'll be okay. Hurry though, I don't want Trav looking at me for too long... he always figures shit like this out." Tom attempted to stand up a little straighter. 

Mark paused by the door and turned to look back at his taller friend. He raised one eyebrow and peered up at the boy shuffling his feet.  "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Well, um, Trav always knew when you brought people back. Um, after shows and shit when we were younger. He also could tell if they were girls. Or um, males. He used to laugh cause you'd try to be all secretive and shit and he'd just wake up the next morning and tell me about it all. Like the time you brought home two guys." Tom explained, scrunching up his face at his last sentence. His face had been pointed to the floor but he raised it to look at Mark. 

"I didn't like him giving me your... extracurricular activities schedule daily. But, what could I say to him? 'Please don't, I'd rather not know who Mark is sleeping with. It bothers me for some reason I can't explain?' Yea no."

Mark turned red and mumbled, "I'll be out as quickly as possible, Tommy." 

The tall guitarist turned to continue walking into the dining area of the hotel. Travis waved at him. He returned the wave and walked to the buffet table filled with assorted breakfast items. 

Tom was in the middle of debating which danish to snag when he heard a low voice next to him. 

"Just because you're looking at a fruit filled pastry doesn't mean it's healthy. Nothing beats actual fruit." Travis spoke while tossing an apple into the air with a spin. He caught it and walked back to the table he was sitting at by himself. 

Tom pouted and looked back down at the danish. His brown eyes looked the round pastries up and down, focusing on the different flavored fillings and the amount of icing on each. 

He looked down at his stomach he had unconsciously covered when Travis had commented on his food choice. The young singer then looked at the pile of fruit that was stacked to the right of the pastries. He glared at them. 

"Hey now, don't bruise the fruit with your eyes there. Get what you want hot pants. You look great to me. Stop looking at the size of your stomach." 

Tom jumped when he heard Mark coming up right behind him. Mark touched the startled one's lower back as he leaned around him grabbing a red danish with tiny seeds in the filling. 

"Mmm, raspberry." Mark said with his mouth full. 

Tom looked at Mark before eyeing the apple danish. "At least mine has chunks of apple in it, it should be better than yours."

Tom also placed a banana and a handful of grapes on his plate as well. Moving slowly back to the table, he sat gently on the slightly cushioned seat. 

Tom felt his muscles ache within him as he settled into his seat. He closed his eyes as the pain radiated out of his rear and tried to find a comfortable position to sit in. 

Travis squinted at his younger bandmate and bluntly spoke. "Tom why're you walking like you've just had a splintery broom handle shoved up your ass?"

Wide brown eyes shot open.


	17. Chapter 17

Sticking out his tongue, Mark's eyes reflected the video game he was attempting to play on their spare tv in the back of the bus. 

Getting too excited, he kicked the black rectangle too far away from the outlet and caused the tv screen to go blue at the loss of  input from the band's brand new Nintendo64. 

He threw the grey controller out of frustration and watched as it clattered to the floor. 

"Damn fucker. Is it so wrong to want to practice beating Super Mario 64? Damn I was so close to passing Whomp's Fortress!" Mark spoke to the ceiling as he flopped back against the floor. 

He lay there watching the streetlights flash on the ceiling as the tour bus hummed and rocked. Mark glanced at the small digital clock he had placed on a shelf above the tv. 

The green numbers mocked him, reading 4:03 A.M.  He pulled an opened sleeping bag over him, hoping the familiar smell of the nylon material would help lull him to sleep. 

Mark reached his arms out, hitting a small soft lump. Tenting the sleeping bag he lifted the edge of it, making it possible to see the small stuffed pig in the flashes of streetlights.

Grabbing Piggy's ear, he pulled the toy closer to him and placed it under his head. Mark let the sleeping bag fall back on his face. 

He closed his eyes and listened as the nylon fabric rubbed against the tip of his nose.  Enjoying the sound, he began opening and closing his mouth, making his nose move the fabric. 

The swishing noise stopped when Mark heard the first scream. It seemed unreal, as if he had imagined it. 

The second scream startled him, making the adrenaline rush through his veins. As he rushed to stand up, Mark stumbled, catching his foot on the corner of the insulated blanket.

He placed his hands out to catch himself falling, but in the dark it didn't matter. Mark's left  hand felt a wall, his right one feeling nothing but air. The part he felt most was the corner of the wall, right before the accordion door to the bunk area, slicing himself right in the middle of his forehead. 

A white blinding burn sizzled through Mark's head. Hearing Tom's cries, he tried to ignore it. Ripping open the accordion doors, Mark ran his hand over the wall searching for the light switch. Finding it he stumbled forwards, abruptly stopping when he looked at Tom's bunk. 

"What the fuck, dude!" Mark shouted, looking at his boyfriend cradled in Travis's arms. Travis looked up, worry flashing in his bright blue eyes. The drummer slackened his arms and tried to raise himself from the perched position he had been in. 

The crying figure wouldn't let him, squeezing his lanky arms tightly and taking a shaky sob in between in gasping tears. The shorter man frowned, looking up to the man standing next to him. 

Travis's eyes immediately zoned in on the warm trickle that Mark could feel was sliding down the bridge of his nose. The drummer opened his mouth, concerned words about to spill out when Mark cut him off. 

"What the hell is going on, give me my boyfriend, Trav." Mark held out his arms expectantly. 

With a roll of his eyes, Travis responded, "I would gladly, but if you haven't noticed yet, he won't let go. He's having like, a panic attack or something."

Two sets of blue eyes fell upon the youngest band member. Little lines of worry drew themselves over Mark's forehead and around his eyes when he looked at Tom again. 

Tom was twisting his body, his long legs had kicked his chevron sheets away long ago. They were crinkled and pushed into the opposite corner. Tom was shirtless, his cerulean blue Hurley shirt puddled by Travis's feet. Tom was rocking side to side, arms keeping his upper torso in place by being securely fastened around Travis's waist. 

Mark looked at his feet when he saw Tom's chipped finger nails digging themselves into the tight flesh of Travis's stomach. Even while perched on the side of Tom's bunk, the drummer barely had a roll in his stomach. 

Mark pulled his white undershirt over his own slightly bloated stomach. The bus lurched to the right, sending Mark to collide with Tom's back. 

The younger boy turned his head, and widened upon seeing Mark. 

"M-m-mark... Help me Mark-k, I-I-I- fuck, need you!" Tom spit out the garbled words and detached his right arm from the other man's waist. 

Mark easily pulled the taller man out of the bunk and embraced him in the small hallway. Tom's head flopped to the other man's shoulder. The younger singer raised one knee, wrapping his right leg slightly around Mark's waist. 

"Hold me." Tom whispered. 

Mark bit back a saddened frown as he listened to his boyfriend's plea. Reaching down to lift the boy into his arms, he grunted as the bus again shifted and Mark felt his back hit the bunks behind him. 

The bassist rocked Tom in his arms against the paneled wood and shushed the boy as he heard the weeping begin again. 

"What happened to your face?" Travis stood and asked curiously. He reached out to push Mark's bangs away, revealing a small gash nearly at the very middle of the older man's forehead. 

"I'm fine," Mark brushed Travis off, "I hit my head in the dark trying to get to him," Mark motioned to Tom in his arms, "I'm fine though. Cuts always bleed more when they're on your head." 

Mark wrapped an arm underneath Tom's butt and used his free arm to wipe at his forehead. Looking at the back of his hand, Mark grimaced, seeing the bright red liquid smeared across it. 

Mark followed Travis as he walked to the front of the bus. Collapsing onto the smaller of the two couches, the blue eyed guitarist rubbed his clean hand over the shaking back of Tom. 

He looked up when he saw a drenched paper towel being suspended in front of him. "For your hand." Travis stated, holding another paper towel in his other hand. 

Mark took it and jumped when he felt the damp paper towel being held to his head. He leaned his head back, trying to avoid Travis's outstretched arm. 

"I'm fine!" Mark gasped with surprise, hissing when he felt the warm paper towel being pressed up against his cut again. 

Travis laughed, "Quit being such a baby."

Mark wiped his hand and threw the now cold paper towel at Travis. Travis ignored as the wet rag hit him on the shoulder and fell to the ground. He leaned in to Mark's forehead and frowned. 

"Dude, a chunk of your head is missing. It won't stop bleeding." Travis pulled his hand back, leaning in close to inspect the wound. 

Mark pushed at Travis, "I told you, I'm fine! I've had worse." 

Tom sniffled and shuddered in Mark's lap, reminding the older man of the whole reason he ended up bleeding. 

Pressing a kiss into the crown of Tom's head, Mark spoke softly, as to not frighten the boy. "What happened, baby?"

Tom burrowed into Mark's chest, breathing out a single word. 

"Nightmare."

Mark closed his eyes, partially from the broken sound of Tom's voice and partially from the slightly dizzy feeling he had buzzing from his head. 

Travis replaced the damp paper towel he had been pressing against Mark's head with a dry one. He began to explain what had happened before Mark had stumbled out from the back. 

"I heard him thrashing about in his bunk and thought the two of you were in there fooling around. So I pulled back my curtain to yell at you two and that's when I heard him cry in his sleep. It was really weird," Travis paused, contemplating his next words. Mark sighed, pulling the younger boy in his arms tighter against him knowing exactly how it must have sounded to hear Tom cry in his sleep. 

He had heard it on many occasions himself. The first time had been the very first night of their first tour. 

-/- Mark groaned in his sleep and rolled over, covering his head with a spare pillow. His mind was fuzzy, still laced with sleep. 

In his half awake state, he heard a noise. It sounded as if an upset child was outside of the van Blink was sleeping in. Mark sat up and pressed his nose to the window. 

Leaning over Tom, he peered out the front window. Blue eyes looked down when he heard the noise coming from below him. 

Tom had himself completely covered by a navy blue sleeping bag. Mark slowly pulled the thick material back, grimacing as the teeth from the zipper loudly clicked. 

Tom's bleached hair stuck out in funny directions, both hands placed together under his head. He was facing Mark's body, allowing the older man to see the wet tracks where tears had leaked out from behind Tom's heavy lids. 

A frown formed on the young boy's face, reminding Mark of exactly how old he was. 17 was young to be out on the road, stressed about food and gas money. 

Mark bit his lip, wondering if this tour was such a great idea in the first place. If you could call it a tour at all, really it was just three best friends driving around to local bars and playing short five song gigs throughout California, sleeping and living out of a cramped van. 

Mark looked down at Tom as a slightly louder sob slipped out from the boy in his sleep. The bassist's eyes flew to Travis who was stirring in his sleep. 

Swallowing, Mark gently tapped Tom's bare shoulder. Tom barely reacted, so once again Mark tapped the younger man, pushing slightly more to rouse the boy.

"Tom. Tommy. Wake up, dude. Tom, c'mon buddy." Mark whispered, falling silent when Tom's eyes opened, sadness overwhelming the older man.

Brown eyes looked up at his best friend. Mark waited while the younger man figured out and remembered exactly where he was. Feeling a cooling sensation on his face, Tom's fingers found their way to his cheeks. 

He seemed surprised to find that they were wet. Tom looked to Mark for an explanation. 

"I don't know, Tom, I think you were having a bad dream or something. It sounded," Mark paused, hesitating before speaking honestly to his young friend. 

"It sounded like you were crying. It woke me up, I didn't want you to wake up Trav." Mark whispered, finishing and placed a hand on Tom's shoulder. 

"You okay, buddy?" 

A frown reappeared on Tom's face. He focused his dark wet brown eyes on the plaid fabric of the inside of his sleeping bag, suddenly seeming very interested in it. 

"I guess I did have a bad dream." Tom bit his lip. He couldn't meet Mark's eyes. 

The older singer pressed on, "About what." Tom understood the tone in Mark's voice. He was concerned, and purposely did not raise his voice at the end of his sentence. It wasn't a question, out of concern Mark had to know. Tom knew he couldn't avoid telling Mark the truth.

Tom ran the back of his right hand under his nose, wiping it before being ready to talk. His fingers found their way to his pillowcase, twisting the white cotton around his pointer finger. 

"I miss home. I miss my mom, my dad, my room. I even miss Kari and Shon." Tom tried to wipe away another tear that had escaped when he felt Mark wrapping his arms around him, pulling him in close to Mark's propped up body. 

"I'm so sorry, Tommy." The boy choked a little at the juvenile sounding nickname, hearing it fall off of Mark's lips made everything seem a little more real. 

Mark gave one more squeeze before pulling back. He smiled a tiny bit when he felt Tom shake his head in disagreement and lean in again for another hug. 

"Mark, I miss my mom." A quiet cry came from Tom as he buried his face in Mark's armpit. The older man pat the upset boy's back, watching the rise and fall of his heaving back as the sobs got more and more intense. 

Mark glanced nervously at Travis, who had begun stirring again. The bassist paused to contemplate his upcoming actions, nervous that Tom would be uncomfortable with them. The blue eyed man threw his nerves to the side as he felt Tom twist the fabric of his tshirt on his stomach. 

"Come here, buddy." Mark pushed back Tom and pulled at his own red sleeping bag, easily unzipping it and holding open the one side for Tom to slip into. 

Tom quickly untangled himself from his and shimmed over to press his body close to Mark's. The older singer reached around Tom to rezip the sleeping bag, enclosing the two friends.

Mark slipped an arm underneath Tom, pulling him close and cradling his head in the crook of his arm. 

Wiping away the younger boy's tears, Mark whispered to him. "It's alright Tommy, you got me. I'm from home, and wherever you go I'll be there with you, because you're my home too." 

Tom sniffled before whispering a 'thank you', resting his head snugly under Mark's chin, feeling warm, safe, and a little less nervous. -/- 

"Mark are you even listening to me?" Travis ran a hand in front of Mark's vacant face. 

Mark blinked and refocused on the tattooed man at his side. 

Travis twisted his mouth to the side, quirking his head and spoke again. "Maybe we should go to the hospital, have you see a doctor for your head." Travis pulled a now soaked paper towel away from forehead. 

Frustration coursed through Mark, he was agitated by Travis's presence. He just wanted to be alone with Tom so he could hug him and kiss him, making sure to calm his lover down the right way. 

When Travis reached again for the older man's forehead with another paper towel, Mark pushed Travis away a little too roughly. 

Travis stumbled back, hurt immediately registering on his face. The drummer stayed silent as Mark closed his eyes and took in a deep breath to calm himself down. He didn't want to get physical with one of his best friends. 

"Look, I'm sorry Trav. I'm really feeling stressed about the end of the tour coming up and not being able to help Tom more. I didn't mean to push you that hard, just back off a little." Mark apologized.

Tom shifted on Mark's lap, finally calming down enough to understand something was wrong between his bandmates. Tom looked at Travis, noticing the hurt expression on his face along with a giant frown. 

He then looked up at Mark and realized for the first time the gash on his head. Blood was still oozing down his face. It was then that he noticed how ashy Mark's face had become. 

"Mark..." The younger singer murmured, raising a hand up to move Mark's short bangs. 

"That's really deep, Mark!" Tom's mouth formed a small 'o' in surprise. 

Travis raised his hands in defeat and spoke quickly, "That's what I said! He needs to go get that looked at. You might need stitches!" 

Mark frowned as Tom slid off his lap and stood up next to Travis. Looking up at his boyfriend, he watched as the younger man nodded, agreeing with Travis. 

Mark rolled his eyes. He leaned forward and pressed his hands into the couch to help push himself up. He looked at Tom, watching as he began to spin before his blue eyes. Raising one eyebrow, Mark was extremely confused as to how the bus was spinning and he was getting further away from Tom and closer to the floor. 

Panic set in within Tom as he watched Mark collapse on the ground next to him. It seemed to have happened in slow motion, the taller boy just standing there watching helplessly as Mark hit the carpet. 

Falling to his knees, Tom reached out to Mark pulling back when he felt how cold he had become. The young singer looked to his right expecting to see Travis still there. When his eyes could not locate him, they began to tear up slightly. 

Tom sniffled and whispered Mark's name. He gently placed his head on Mark's chest, needing to hear his heartbeat. He closed his eyes and focused on hearing Mark's thumping, signaling that he was still alive. 

"Mark, I'm sorry... I won't leave your side, I promise." Tom whispered, unaware that Travis had returned from the front of the bus. Travis kneeled down next to Mark and tried to wake him up a bit. 

"This is all my fault." Tom concluded. 

"Oh stop it." Tom looked up, surprised to hear Travis so close to him. The drummer continued, "He's lost a lot of blood, but he's not going to die. I told Frank that we need to get to a hospital or a clinic or something quickly. He saw signs for a hospital right as I was telling him. Don't worry, okay? Mark will be fine, he's a trooper."

Tom nodded and looked back down at Mark trying to convince himself of Travis's words. Both men looked to the front of the bus when they heard Frank shouting that they were about to pull up to the emergency room. 

Travis stood up and pulled Mark to his feet. Mark mumbled something incoherently. Grabbing his shirt from the floor, the guitarist pulled it over his head.

Tom hopped off the bus and waited for Travis to half carry the older man down the steps. 

Once both men had made it off the bus, Tom fell into step, raising Mark's right arm and placing it over his shoulder. The automatic doors opened with a suctioned swoosh and Tom frantically looked around for where they needed to go. 

He tried ignoring the over pungent smell of latex gloves and antiseptic that somehow seemed to be identical in every medical facility and gave Tom the creeps. 

The two men carried Mark towards the front desk. An older woman with her salt and pepper hair pinned back noticed the two men carrying a passed out man and quickly moved around the large white counter. She grabbed a wheelchair and pushed it to them, greeting them in the process. 

"What on Earth happened?" She tried to quickly gather info while leaning over her counter to press a button. An announcement came on over the loudspeaker for 'Code Yellow'.

Travis and Tom worked together to get Mark seated in the wheelchair. Seconds after two large men came through a double doorway and began to wheel the bassist back in the direction that they had come from. 

"No! Stop! Wait, I need to stay with him!" Tom shouted, moving to follow the men. 

Travis grabbed for Tom's arm, pulling him back towards him. Knowing this would be difficult for Tom to hear, he said it before the woman who had since moved back behind her desk could. 

"Can't go with him right now, Tom, they need to check him out and stabilize him. We can see him in a little bit." Travis pulled Tom into a hug as his words sunk in. 

"But, I promised to stay with him. I told him I would, Trav!" Tom whimpered. 

Patting the taller man on the upper arm, Travis reassured his bandmate. "I know dude, but they need to take care of him. If you're there fussing over him they won't be able to take care of him the right way. You want him to get better, right?" 

Tom nodded and Travis continued, "Well then, Tom, you got to let them do their thing." 

The woman from behind the counter pushed a clipboard with a couple papers on it and a pen attached by a string towards them. 

She typed something into her computer and looked up at the two men on the other side of the counter. 

"Now I just need some real quick info about your friend in there and then you can fill out the papers on that there clipboard, okay dears?" The lady looked up waiting for them to nod.

"Alright, What's his name and his date of birth?" The nurse waited patiently for the information. 

Travis cleared his throat and answered her, "Mark Hoppus and um... his birthday is... uuuh..." 

Tom wiped his eyes before finishing Travis's sentence. "March 15th, 1972."

The greying woman nodded and typed the information into her computer.

"And are there any other injuries other than the laceration on his forehead?" The older woman looked at the two friends, hands paused over the keyboard. 

Travis shook his head as Tom whispered, "Oh God, I hope not. Shit, we're we supposed to check for that?" Tom looked to Travis who rolled his eyes. 

The nurse chuckled and tried to calm Tom's nerves. "Don't worry, dear, we'll take good care of your friend. Alright that's all for now, just go ahead and have a seat. When you're finished filling that out on the clipboard, please bring it on back up here. A doctor will be out as soon as there is some information on your friend."

Tom and Travis moved to the rows of white plastic chairs. Choosing two seats near the far corner of the waiting room, they sat down side by side. Travis pulled out his phone, mentioning Steve's name as he scrolled through his contacts. 

Tom fiddled with the clicker on the pen attached to the wooden clipboard in his hands. Dark brown eyes darted around, looking at the other people in the waiting area. 

Most of them looked tired and emotionally drained. Tom looked down at his hands when he felt Travis grab his fingers, effectively silencing his clicking. 

Glaring at the slightly older man he noticed that the drummer wasn't even looking at him, he had his phone up to his right ear and crossed his left leg over his right leg forming a triangle with his legs. 

"Yo Steve, yea hey it's me. We got a small issue. Um no, no one needs to be bailed out. No! There's no law enforcement involved at all. This is serious! We're at the hospital. No, Tom didn't do anything stupid, it's Mark. He had a little mishap in the dark on the bus and busted his head. Hit the corner or something in the back of the bus. I think he'll be okay, he just passed out. He lost a lot of blood. I'll call when I have more details okay? Um, I don't know the name of the hospital, maybe call Frank and ask him. Alright, will do. Bye." Travis finished his phone call and closed the small device, leaning into Tom to slide it into his front pocket. 

Tom bit his lip, the thin silver ring in it protruded slightly. Catching Travis's eye, the drummer gave a small smile to his worried friend. The blue eyed man licked his lips and nodded towards the clipboard. "You got that or you want me to do it?"

Brown eyes fell to the clipboard. Tom shook his head. "No, I think I got it. I'll let you know if I need help." 

Travis nodded in acknowledgement and slouched in his chair, the cheap plastic creaking under the stress.

Tom picked up the pen and clicked it so the ballpoint would be out. He looked at the first question, 'Patient's name'. Tom began to glide the blue ink over the white paper, trying to write as neat as possible. 

Looking at the next question, Tom easily jotted down Mark's date of birth. The third question was simple enough. 'Relationship to Patient'. The young singer began to write the letters 'B-o-y' and stopped. He flipped the writing utensil over to erase his words and whimpered when the plastic tip did nothing.

"It's not a fucking pencil, smart one." Tom's eyes squinted as he glared at the laughing blue eyes. 

"Shut up, I'm stressed out. I'm allowed to have blonde moments. I was blonde at one point in time, you know!" Tom rambled nervously as Travis chuckled. 

The brown eyed boy ran the blue ink over his mistake, digging deep into the paper. He finished answering the two page information questionnaire. 

Running a hand over his hair, he stood up and walked slowly up to the counter and slid the clipboard to the nurse. She thanked him and let him know once again that someone would be out soon to update them on, she paused looking down to the question Tom had trouble with, their friend. 

Tom nodded and shuffled back to Travis sinking into the plastic chair and rested his head against the wall behind him. 

Tom sat up straight when he heard the double doors squeak. Worried brown eyes watched as two people, a man and a woman dressed in navy scrubs entered the waiting room. The man looked down at his clipboard and read off a name. A young couple stood, anxiously waiting news on their loved one. 

Tom lost interest in them when he heard the woman clear her throat. The brown eyed man tried to concentrate on what she was saying, it was difficult though with the blood throbbing in his ears, muffling any sounds. 

Tom looked surprised when he saw Travis acknowledge the woman out of the corner of his eye. He looked back at the woman in scrubs as she smiled and walked closer. She held out her hand to both men, introducing herself as Doctor Miranda Glass.

"When Mr. Hoppus was admitted he was unresponsive and had lost a good amount of blood." The doctor paused when she saw the taller of the two men cringe and look away. 

"He's doing okay now. Coupled with what looked like exhaustion and dehydration caused him to faint. We admitted him over night just for observations. I realize it's technically already early morning but were going to watch him until at least 3pm. He's been moved to the third floor. I have to get back to the E.R. but..." Dr. Glass again looked at the distraught expression on the taller man's face and turned her head slightly to inspect the brown eyes before her. 

"Would you rather me walk you two up there and show you that he's fine?" She raised her eyebrows waiting for a response from the two visitors. 

The two friends quickly looked at one another. Turning back to the young doctor, Travis began to speak while Tom simply nodded his head eagerly. 

"Nah, I mean, we'll be fine. Where's the elevators?" Travis began to look around the lobby while Tom looked at his slightly older friend with disappointment written all across his face. 

Seeing this, Dr. Glass gave them both a friendly smile and beckoned them to follow her. "It's not a problem. I have another patient on that floor that's going to be discharged in the morning so its not a problem. Two birds, one stone."

Not hesitating a bit, the younger boy followed closely behind the doctor's heels. Travis sighed and followed silently. He gave Tom a shove when he saw the younger boy throw an annoyed look over his shoulder at the drummer. 

Dr. Glass stifled a snicker seeing the interactions between the two friends. She turned to them trying to make conversation while waiting for the elevator to arrive on the lower level. 

"So when Mr. Hoppus came to while in the pit-" Stopping at the confused looks on the two men's faces she corrected herself with different terminology. 

"Sorry, it's what we call the emergency room/trauma center. He was talking about a Tom. Is that either of you?"

Tom raised a shaking hand while Travis asked nervously, "W-what did he say?" 

Turning as the doors opened to enter the small silver box, she thought back to what words Mark had used exactly. "Well, at first I couldn't understand him, he was a little groggy. I thought he had said, 'I love you, Tom,' but then he repeated it and I'm pretty sure he said 'I love you, Mom'. There were a lot of nurses coming in and out of his bay and they usually get called 'mom'."

Tom studied the floor in the hopes that the young doctor wouldn't notice the crimson tone his cheeks had taken on. 

Travis rubbed the back of his neck and smiled at the doctor. "Yea, he was probably asking for his mom or something. That guy's a momma's boy all the way." 

Dr. Glass returned the smile and looked over at the quiet man that had tucked himself into the corner. He was staring at the floor with such intensity, it was as if he had never seen one before. 

Before she could get his attention, the doors behind her dinged and slid open. 

"Well, this is the third floor. Mr. Hoppus is in room 3023. So that means third floor, hallway two, room three." Dr. Glass explained while walking down and short connecting hallway and into another one. At the third door down, she stopped. 

Before opening door 3023, she flipped a paper on her clipboard and looked up, turning to the two men standing anxiously behind her. 

"Now, the laceration on his forehead was deep. Small, but deep. He has two stitches, but it's covered with gauze. What we're watching for tonight is that he doesn't become disoriented, lose consciousness or his memory." Dr. Glass explained.

Seeing the taller man, Tom's, reaction, she quickly added in, "Now all of those possibilities are worst case scenario. It's extremely unlikely that any of that would happen."

Tom nodded silently while Travis verbally acknowledged her words. 

Neither men were prepared for what they saw upon opening the wide, heavy white door. 

The curtain was pulled back all the way, light filtered through from behind a second curtain that was splitting the room in half. 

There before them was Mark, bandaged but looking alert as he stacked a tower of small plastic cups on his tray table in front of him. 

He was standing on his bed, only dressed in a thin paper gown. The back was hanging open letting his cheeks be seen by anyone who happen to come in. 

Tom stepped closer, biting his lip trying to resist the urge to tackle Mark, knock all the cups over and, after closing his gown, hug him until the end of time. 

Travis gave Mark and Tom space and went to sit in a pink seated white chair while he watched Tom approach the other man. 

"Hi!" Mark spoke cheerily. He looked down at Tom then back at his cups, sticking his tongue out as he concentrated on not tipping his tower. 

After he placed the cup steadily on top, he looked down at Tom. The younger boy raised his hands to grip the side of the bed. 

"Hey." Whispered Tom, pulling the small metal ring into his mouth. 

Smiling again at Tom, he spoke with a glint in his eye, "So who are you?"

Tom, Travis and even the doctor all reacted the same way to the bassist's words. Their mouths hit the floor. Dr. Glass watched as Tom pulled away from the bed, reaching a hand up to cover his mouth. 

Tom quickly turned, needing to escape. The young singer locked himself in Mark's bathroom, seeking a quiet place as hot tears filled his eyes, not wanting anyone to see or hear his sobs. 

He slid to the floor, faintly hearing hundreds of plastic cups hit the tiled ground. 


	18. Chapter 18

Tom pressed the heels of his hands into his eyelids, trying to make the tears stop. He wiped hopelessly at the unwanted droplets, tucking his chin into his now pulled up knees. 

The young boy wrapped each lanky arm around his legs, as his head bounced off the door from someone's panicked knocks. Tom wrapped his calloused fingers into the fabric on his pajama pants. 

The banging on the door had subsided, the source of the noise having realized it wasn't working. Tom pulled his head back, looking at the ceiling as he tried to take calming breaths in and out. He stretched his legs out in front of him before bouncing them in a tantrum-like fashion. 

The young guitarist pulled his lip ring into his mouth, running his tongue over it as a sob leaked from somewhere deep in his throat. He whispered out his lover's name, sure that he had lost all that he cared about, letting the small sliver of metal fall back into place. 

If Mark didn't recognize him, how could he ever curl up into his safe strong arms again after a nightmare? How could he say a million things with his expressions and not have to speak a syllable to Mark? How could he tuck his head under Mark's chin as they snacked on Skittles and Icees? Would they even have a band anymore? 

At least Tom could convince this new Mark that the chevron sheets in the bunk were the old Mark's and Piggy was his own stuffed animal so Tom could have pieces of old Mark near him. 

Mark had always taken care of Tom on the road, watching out for him and helping him feel better when he was homesick. When they were home, the blue eyed bassist would make sure that Tom was being productive and not skating around his living room making a rut in the floorboards. What would happen now?

Tom pulled his thumb up into his mouth, angry with himself for this childish action, but unable to find comfort elsewhere. Slipping his hand into his pajama pocket, he pulled out and flipped open his small black cellphone. He needed to call someone to help him, to calm him and talk him out of his panic attack. 

With shaking fingers, Tom sucked his right thumb harder into his mouth, squinting as a reaction to his thumbnail scrapping the roof of his mouth. His left hand shook intensely as he pulled up the contact list. The singer paused, looking at his chipped nail polish. His pinky was fully covered in a hot pink polish. Mark had painted it the previous night while waiting for the opening band to finish their set on stage. 

-/- "Tom. It does not look gay. It's just a color. I like pink a lot!" Mark defended his favorite color, holding down his younger friend's non-dominant hand against the hardwood floor. He shook the small glass bottle and twisted the cap off with only his right hand. 

The bassist lifted the cap and ran the tip of the brush against the inner edge of the nail polish bottle, wiping away the excess paint. 

"Besides," he continued as he ran the cold paint over the small surface area of Tom's pinky, "you are gay. So it works." 

After he finished coating Tom's smallest fingernail with the polish, he gently blew on it, helping to speed up the drying process. Mark's eyes flickered up to see the full pout on Tom's lips, his brow furrowed in such a way that Mark could only giggle. 

At the sound of Mark's happiness, Tom's pout faltered. The younger boy shook his head in disbelief as he pulled his hand back to inspect his boyfriend's work. "Not bad. But pink is still a girl's color. You only pull it off so well Marky, because your so feminine." A smile played on Tom's face as he looked up to witness Mark pouncing at him, giggles flooding the room as the two boys wrestled. 

"Says the boy who flutters his eyelashes at the cameras." Mark retorted, being careful to pin down Tom's left arm, preventing the pinky nail from being smudged.  

Tom fired back, "Says the boy who used to wear eyeliner!" 

Mark's eyed widened and he scrambled to find something to shoot back. Moments passed as Tom's giggles got more and more out of breath. Mark squinted at the boy beneath him. "Says the boy who is bottom in bed!" 

Tom froze, his head turning to see Travis smack his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Too much info!" the drummer rasped. 

Wide brown eyes turned back to meet the blue ones above him. "Yes,  I did in fact, go there." 

Tom's mouth dropped open as Mark's fingers raced up and down Tom's right side, the young boy helpless against the older one's tickling antics. -/-

Tom scrolled down till he got to the M's in his contact list. He only has two. 'Mark' and 'Mom'. With all his willpower, he scrolled past Mark's name to his Mom's. He pressed enter and waited for his Mom's calm voice to filter through the speaker. 

Tom frantically looked down at the small screen when he heard three loud beeps with the words 'NO SIGNAL' filling the space. 

The upset boy threw his phone to the floor, watching as it skidded below the sink. 

Tom looked up at the door handle as it began to shake. It twisted slowly and clicked. Tom shut his eyes as the door opened half an inch, only to be stopped against his back. 

Tom heard a faint grunt as the overly wide white door pushed against Tom's spine. He felt himself beginning to slide against the small tiled floor. 

"Hey now, don't be upset." 

Tom broke down as he heard Mark's voice quietly speak to him. He pulled his thumb back into his mouth and fell to his side, curling his long legs into his chest. 

"You're n-n-not my Ma-ma-mark!" Tom stuttered. He felt himself being collected in familiar arms and pressed against a warm chest clad in a hospital gown. 

Well known lips pressed against his damp forehead sending the boy further into heart wrenching sobs. "Hey! Don't cry. Please don't cry, I don't like it when you cry, especially when I'm the one who caused it." 

Tom repeated his own words, trying to push away from Mark's grasp. "What do you mean, 'you're not my Mark', of course I'm your Mark. Baby, please, stop!" Mark pleaded.

Hearing Mark call him 'baby', the red rimmed eyes blinked slowly at the man on his knees before him. Mark continued, "I have a horrible sense of timing, I was just joking when I pretended not to know who you were. I didn't realize you had just been told that memory loss was one of the things they were watching for. I'm so sorry baby, so sorry."

Those red rimmed eyes grew darker and Mark swallowed, sitting back on the tiled floor. He flinched at the cold feeling on his bare bottom and pushed the thin fabric of his hospital gown underneath him. 

He waited for the wrath of Tom to boil over. He could see it brewing before him. Surprisingly, Tom cocked his head slightly and launched himself at Mark. Tears rolled down his cheeks. The saddest expression Mark had ever seen washed over Tom's features. It was full of despair and relief at the same time, mixed with hate and love and the tiniest bit of fear. 

Moving slowly towards the boy, as if he were afraid any sudden movements would frighten him, he gathered the taller framed man in his arms. 

A clenched fist swung around and landed with a soft thud against the bassist's back. "I know baby, I know. Totally not the right time to pull a prank."

Mark stood and cradled Tom against his chest as he stood and left the bathroom. He smiled as he felt shaking hands wrap around his neck, reaching for the two ends of his gown. He pressed a kiss into Tom's temple when he felt the fabric pull across his back and overlap in the middle, effectively covering his backside. 

Mark's bare toes kicked at the plastic cups littering the ground. Tiny tinks could be heard through the otherwise quiet room. 

Nervous blue eyes glanced at Travis, who had been sitting in the same chair as before, arms crossed, with  the same disapproving look plastered on his face. 

The drummer had already given him an earful after Tom had locked himself in the bathroom. 

-/- Hundreds of plastic cups collided with the floor as Mark leapt down from his bed, gown sailing behind him as he smacked into the door Tom had disappeared behind.  

 "You asshole. You can't even use your fucking common sense to think, 'hey, now is not the best time to joke around like this.' Fucking stupid is what you are." Travis raged. 

"I... What... But... I was just joking around!" Mark tried to say, jiggling the locked bathroom handle. 

"You have the worst concept of right and wrong. Dr. Glass literally just finished telling us that they were keeping you here to monitor you for a bunch of shit, memory loss being one of them." Travis spoke, getting quieter as he spoke each word. Mark knew he was pissed. 

The bassist looked at the doctor, still standing in the doorway, suddenly aware of how stupid he had just been. Dr. Glass excused herself, mumbling, "...other patients," as she backed out of the room. 

Travis continued ranting at Mark, "He was so fucking worried about you. He kept going on and on about how he had promised to stay with you and it was all his fault you were here. And you, as usual, screw up. Some people don't get to fall in love and have all that happy shit happen with their best friend. You do, but can't appreciate it and end up screwing yourself over. Keep going genius, when Tom's tired of this shit and Blink is done, its going to be all your fault. No one to blame but yourself."

Mark turned and banged on the door, shouting Tom's name. Travis sighed, rubbing his eyes as he tried not to stare at Mark's ass wiggling with each bang of his fist. -/-

Gently placing Tom on his hospital bed, he crawled over the younger boy and held him as the taller boy twisted the sterile smelling sheets around his fingertips. 

"I hate hospitals." Tom mumbled against Mark's chest. 

"I know, kiddo." Mark replied, gently rubbing circles on the younger one's back. 

"I hate when you call me 'kiddo'." Tom mumbled.

Laughing, Mark responded, "I know that too."

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"Hey Tom, wake up. Trav is going to get you breakfast." Mark shook the boy laying beside him. 

The sleeping singer grumbled something unintelligible. Mark looked over to Travis who was standing by the door. "I'm pretty sure he just said 'duck you'. But it could have been 'fuck you'." 

Travis laughed, shaking his head and said, "I'll just get him an egg sandwich." He moved to leave but stopped when the bassist called out to him. 

"Wait a sec!" Mark pulled his head back to try and see Tom's lips as he mumbled something again. 

"Cream cheese? You want a bagel and cream cheese, Tom?" The younger boy nodded his head, his right cheek squishing against the thin fabric gown on Mark's chest. 

Mark kissed the top of Tom's head and looked up to his friend by the door. Opening his mouth to speak, Travis cut him off. "Bagel and cream cheese. Got it." Mark grinned and nodded happily as the drummer turned and left the room. 

"Tommy, wake up babe so I can talk to you." Mark shook his arms, wiggling Tom around. He smiled when he heard the boy's response. 

"No. Seepin'. Go 'way."

"But I'm bored..." Mark groaned, drawing out the last letter. 

Tom pulled his arm out from it's tucked away spot around Mark's waist and lifted it up to the older one's face. Tom gently fumbled around until he reached Mark's eyes. Not opening his own, he pressed on them, covering the bright blues. 

Making Mark laugh, he lowered his hands and whispered, "Shhhh, seep now. Go seep."

Mark smiled against Tom's fingers and stuck his tongue out, effectively slobbering all over the younger boy's hand. 

Brown eyes popped open, the younger one's head raising slightly while Tom frowned, "Now why did you have to go and do that? That's not nice."

"Well, don't look so cute when you pout and I won't do things like that. But, I'm pretty sure that's impossible." Raising both eyebrows, Mark looked down at Tom. 

The younger boy stuck out his tongue quickly and tried to bury himself back into Mark's arms. 

"Uh-uh. No way, José. I know you're awake." Mark pushed at Tom's shoulders. 

Giving in, Tom rolled to the side of Mark and pretended to vomit. "Ugh, don't say 'José', it reminds me of the tequila I had too much of."

The bed shook with Mark's laughter. "That was like a month ago, Tom!" 

"Not long enough!" Tom exclaimed, rubbing his eyes with fisted hands. 

Just then, a cafeteria worker came in to drop off Mark's breakfast. Tom scooted closer to the edge of the bed, away from Mark. 

Oblivious to Tom's actions, Mark rubbed his hands together while dramatically licking his lips. The young man smiled at Mark and placed the covered food tray on the tray table and slid the small plastic table over Mark's lap. 

"Don't get too excited, it's just oatmeal, pancakes and a fruit cup. You want orange or apple juice?" The man waited, chuckling while Mark's face fell. 

"Is there chocolate chips in the pancakes?" Mark asked hopefully. 

"Nope. Orange or apple buddy, I got a floor of hungry patients." The dark haired man turned, stepping back to his cart when Mark answered him. 

Placing the small orange juice carton on his tray table, the cafeteria worker wished Mark a good day, his dark eyes flittering over to Tom resting next to him. 

Mark glared at the worker, feeling slightly protective of the boy laying next to him. "Yea. Bye." 

Taking a deep breath, Mark lifted the lid and looked at the bland looking breakfast before him. "I should have had Travis bring me something." 

The blue eyed singer lifted the lid on a pale pink plastic mug and made a face at the glob of mush before him. "Yea, no. Not touching that." 

Raising his fork and knife to the round pancakes, he dipped it in syrup and brought it to his mouth. Chewing slowly he looked over to Tom who was watching him through his bangs that had fallen over his eyes. His fingers were curled close to his face, so that his knuckles were resting against his lips. 

"Want some?" Mark asked, holding out a bite drenched in syrup. "It's actually not that bad." A droplet of syrup slipped off the tine of his plastic fork and sunk into the sterile white sheet below him. 

Tom pulled his hand away from his mouth and opened it waiting for Mark to feed him. 

Chewing the sweet morsel, Tom crinkled his nose and swallowed. "I've had worse. Remember the time you tried to make pancakes the first time I slept over your house? You burnt them. These are a step above those."

Mark shoved Tom gently, and pretended to be hurt by his boyfriend's words. "Those were not this bad. We just had to scrape the burnt part off and they were perfect. It was my first time cooking ever. I wanted to impress you."

Tom clapped his hands as Travis came in with a medium sized white paper bag. Mark stabbed a grape from his fruit salad and mumbled to himself, "SO easily distracted..."

Travis sat in his chair next to Mark, scooting closer to the bed and shoved the older man's legs out of the way. He placed the bag on the sheets and opened it. Pulling out a wrapped item he passed it to Tom. 

Tom eagerly received it and began to open it. He quickly took three bites from it, plain cream cheese oozing from either side of his mouth. 

"Piggy." Mark snorted laughing as Tom tried to swallow quickly to defend himself. Mark looked back at Travis as he pulled out a wonderfully colorful fruit salad for himself and placed it on his lap. 

Mark frowned and looked at his own fruit salad which consisted of grapes, cantaloupe and a couple of chunks of honeydew melon. 

Mark looked back at Travis's and noticed the ripe strawberries, blueberries, pineapple and watermelon in it. He stabbed another grape and placed it in his mouth, making a face at the sour taste that exploded on his tongue. 

"I brought you real food." Mark immediately dropped his plastic fork and held out his hands expectantly to Travis. The drummer's hands dug deep into the bag and pulled out a waxed paper package. 

Mark pushed away his tray table and gently placed the item on his lap. Like a grandma opening presents,  he slowly opened it, not wanting to rip the delicate paper. 

"Fuck yea! Ham, egg and cheese on a croissant! Merci, mon ami!" Mark shoved a third of the sandwich into his mouth and chewed sloppily. He paused when he heard Tom snort like a pig. 

He stuck his egg covered tongue out at the younger boy, eliciting a laugh from both friends. 

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A soft knock from the doorway caused all three men to stop chatting and turn to the direction of the noise.   Dr. Glass stood there with her clipboard in hand and a smile on her face. "Ready to go home?" she asked.

"Home sweet tour bus!" Travis joked.

Dr. Glass stepped into the doorway and flipped a paper on her wooden clipboard. "Just have to ask a few questions and you can sign off on your release."

Mark nodded, glancing quickly to his right as Tom scooted off the bed and padded over to stand near Travis. 

"Alright, can you tell me both your friend's here names?" She had her pen poised by a checklist awaiting Mark's answer. 

"Easy. Pablo and Esteban." Mark kidded at everyone's reaction. "Relax, I'm joking! Travis and Tom." Mark tapped his fingers on his thighs.

"Very good. Now, can you tell me what color scrubs I am wearing?" Dr. Glass looked at him expectantly. 

"Pink." Mark raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to check off on her list.

"And what color were they when you were admitted?" Tom and Travis both looked at Mark to see how he would respond. 

"Blue." Mark answered smugly. 

"Very good. What day is it today?" She made a check next to her box and waited for Mark's last answer. 

"Friday. Wait no- Saturday. Fuck, is it Thursday?" Mark looked at Tom for help. 

"He couldn't have told you the day of the week before he hit his head Dr. Glass." Tom laughed and rocked on the balls of his feet. 

Dr. Glass returned the smile and signed her name on the bottom. "Alright, we'll let that one slide then. I just need to check your stitches and then you'll be good to go!"

Placing the clipboard at the bottom of the bed, she walked along the length and raised her arms to Mark's head. Tom leaned over the back of Travis, watching. 

She unwrapped the gauze that was spun around his head and peeled back a square piece of gauze. She placed it on Mark's bedside table. Tom gripped the back of Travis's chair as he saw the dark crimson stain on it. 

"Looks good. These stitches will start to dissolve in about a week and a half to two. There's only three of them so there shouldn't be any issues but, I know that being a musician on on tour with lots of cameras and people watching,  you may want them out sooner. Any doctor can remove the loose ends after two weeks. It could take up to a month to fully disappear. Keep the gauze on it for three more days, change it twice a day and after that let he air heal it." Dr. Glass left the room to retrieve something from a cart in the hallway. 

"Here's a stack of gauze. Just tape it with this tape here and that's it. If you notice any swelling or discharge get to a doctor immediately." Dr. Glass looked at the two men behind her as she repeated her last sentence. 

Tom nodded with conviction while Travis smiled, running his fingers over his head. Mark bounced his legs. "Can I leave yet?"

The doctor turned back to him and reached out for her clipboard. Handing him a pen, she held out the clipboard for  him to sign.

"Take care now. No more walls to the head for a while." Dr. Glass shook all three men's hands and left them. 

Mark's blush had began to subside as he looked around his room. "You guys got any idea where my clothes are? I'm so tired of the draft with the hospital gown."

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
 It had been this way since the boys left the hospital two days ago. 

Tom had been following Mark around the small tour bus for three hours now. The older singer knew it was out of concern, but he had had enough of turning and bumping into the taller man. 

"Tom, do you think you could just sit? I'm not going anywhere, we're on a bus. We still have four hours before we reach Las Vegas. I can't go far." Mark brought his hands to his forehead, gently pressing on his wound to see if it hurt. 

Tom looked down to his toes, sheepishly wishing he could melt into the floor.

"Sorry." He whispered.

Mark noticed the blush creeping up on the younger man's face. "Im not upset or anything, I just want some space and I think I'm getting over tired. I'm going to shower real quick. Why don't you hop into the bunk and I'll be in shortly." 

Tom nodded and began to walk towards the bunk area, passing Mark in the process. The bassist caught the younger man's tattooed arm and leaned in close, brushing his lips against Tom's earlobe. 

He pressed a kiss into the gauged piercing and whispered, "How about you be ready for a little special time just us, huh? Sound good to you? Maybe get yourself ready...?" 

Tom raised one eyebrow in confusion and looked to Mark expectantly. Mark rolled his eyes. "Go get naked and touch yourself, Tom."

Brown eyes went wide at Mark's words and he whispered, "Oh..." letting his cheeks darken at Mark's boldness. Mark pushed at Tom, smiling as the boy stumbled, catching his socked toes on the edge of the kitchenette table leg. 

"I'm okay!" He shouted, diving into Mark's bunk and yanking back the dark burgundy curtain. 

Mark grabbed a towel from the linen drawer across from the small bathroom. Before entering the bathroom, he slid a finger into each sock and slid it off. Fumbling with his tshirt, he pulled it over his head, only knocking his left elbow on a bunk when the bus took a turn. Biting his lip, he pulled the shirt off the rest of the way and threw it along with his socks and shorts into Tom's old bunk. It had become somewhat of a laundry hamper due to the fact that Tom rarely slept in it. 

Turning and twisting the doorknob, Mark stepped into the bathroom in just his cranberry boxer shorts, towel in hand. Closing the door behind him, the blue eyed man opened the shower door and turned the left knob counter clockwise, sighing when he heard the rhythmic beating of the water. 

Humming to himself he rested his towel on the edge of the sink and pushed his boxers down, letting them puddle around his feet. Stepping out of them, he left them on the floor and submersed himself in the heated spray. 

Leaning back into the water, Mark let the droplets run in rivers along his temples and dribbled into his ear. Shaking his head, he ran his fingers through his lengthening hair and pulled at it. 

"Time for a haircut, you gorgeous stud!" Mark chuckled as he talked to himself. "Oh man, this being on tour for four straight months is getting to me. Two more weeks, then I can relax."

Taking the bar of soap from the dish next to the shower faucet, he rotated it in his hands producing a rich lather. Mark replaced the white bar and starting around his neck, he moved his soaped fingers down his body. He skipped his hip area, wanting to come back to that part last. 

Tipping his body forward, Mark washed between his toes. Realizing his bandage was getting all wet from the water stream, he pulled it off and set it aside to throw out after. 

Returning to an upright position, he braced an arm against the wall as his vision darkened a little. Closing his blue eyes, he tried to keep calm, counted to ten then reopened them. He was happy to find out he could see everything perfectly fine. 

This time grabbing the soap, he watched more carefully for the amount of bubbles he was creating. After being satisfied with the amount, he replaced the soap and closed his eyes. Trailing his fingertips lightly over his stomach, he let out a low moan when his hands reached his half hardened cock. 

Behind his eyelids, images of Tom naked flashed. The way his mouth would open slightly, panting at the feeling of Mark's hands on his body. Tom's slender fingers gripping the sheets of a hotel bed, a low moan leaving his lips as Mark's mouth ran over his body. The way Tom's back would arch as Mark would tease him, getting him close to the brink of explosion and then backing off again. 

Mark reached for his cock and encircled it, tightly encompassing the heated flesh. Mark imagined Tom, waiting for him in his bunk, naked and hard. He could picture the way Tom's eyes would dilate at the sight of Mark pulling back the curtain and crawling over him, ready to succumb to anything Mark asked. 

Mark's left hand slipped underneath his tightened balls, cupping them and squeezing them ever so slightly. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't realize that his middle finger slid further back, running over his pucker. 

Mark only realized it when he shuddered involuntarily. "Oh, fuck." 

The bassist's blue eyes widened and darkened. This time, Mark experimented and let go of his sack and drew tiny circles  around the tight hole. "Shit, shit, shit." 

His right hand worked harder, running over his cock at a rate that would send any teenager into orgasm. Having done this for a while, Mark knew exactly how far and how close he could take himself before reaching that level. 

He groaned when he forced his hand to slow down. Knowing Tom was waiting for him, he turned off the water and ran his hands over his body, squeegeeing the excess water off. He made sure to stay away from the very sensitive middle, knowing that he had reached very close to the edge of his orgasm. 

Stepping out of the shower, he unfolded the towel and shook it to free it from any random fuzzies and hidden creatures. Last time he didn't shake it and what he thought was a fuzz ball was actually a hairy spider that decided to nest in the dry linen drawer. He refused to have a repeat of that. Tom and Travis only needed to hear him scream like a little girl once in their lifetime. He had filled their quota. 

He wrapped the fuzzy dark blue towel around his shoulders and shimmied down his back. Moving the large rectangle over his legs, he brought it up to his arms and chest. Shaking his head like a wet dog, he looked at his reflection in the fogged mirror. His damp hair was sticking out in every direction. He smiled at his wildness and made a crazed face. 

He leaned forward, the tip of his cock touched the cold porcelain sink and made him jump. Remembering the task at hand, Mark pressed his shaft towards his stomach, so that it was pointing up and wrapped it into the terrycloth towel. 

Be careful not to slip on the puddle that had managed to form beneath his feet, he left the bathroom and tiptoed into the hallway. Treading lightly, he silently made his way to his bunk. Leaning in, he held his breath listening for Travis. He could hear the faint notes of music seeping out from Travis's headphones. 

Smiling, he bent over, and reached for the curtain to his bunk. The curtain snagged on a bump on the curtain line and stopped. Only about a third of the bunk was able to be seen. 

Mark saw Tom flip over in a panic and attempt to hide his naked body. "Relax babe, it's just me!" Mark whispered. 

"Holy shit, Mark! Some warning would be nice!" The naked guitarist admonished in a hushed voice. 

Mark pulled the curtain back further and let his towel drop to the carpeted floor as he hopped in, pulling the curtain quickly closed behind him. He barely had time to lay down before he was being attacked by Tom's hot, wet mouth. The younger boy's lips and tongue were hungrily licking and sucking his way down to Mark's hard length. 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Fuck Tom, if this is how you act when I order you to touch yourself, maybe I'll start doing that more often!" Mark arched his back, gasping in between his words. Tom garbled an agreement as he pushed the bassist's hips down, and turned his head to wrap his lips sideways on Mark's enflamed cock. 

The blue eyed man moaned and he felt Tom's tongue go to work. The guitarist pressed his lips together, increasing the pressure on Mark's base. When the shorter man felt that, he quickly covered his mouth, hoping Travis wouldn't be able to hear him over the music. 

Mark uncovered his mouth to provide encouragement when Tom decided to twist his hand and stroke at the same time. "Holy shit. Yeah. Definitely ordering you around more. Fuck!" 


	19. Chapter 19

"Marky? Mark? Where are you?" Tom rubbed his eye with one closed fist while the other held tightly onto the worn stuffed animal. 

He stood on the edge of the living room in the suite of the hotel they were staying in. He looked small, standing in Mark's oversized dark blue pajama pants and a black Decendents tshirt, ripped at the collar.  

He walked forward, stepping down into the sunken living room. "Mark?" The sleepy boy called again.

Turning his head to the left quickly at the sound of a soft switching noise, he saw the flicker of a flame and the soft glow. Tom paused before stepping forward and padding to the balcony. 

It was lighter outside, the lights from the city sending shadows onto the walls of the hotel. The city never seemed to sleep, always having crowds of people flock from casino to casino, show to show, watching and critiquing the Elvis impersonators. 

The brown eyed boy readjusted Piggy in his left hand before stepping onto the balcony next to Mark. The shorter man continued leaning on his forearms, looking out into the city below. Bringing the lit cigarette to his lips, he took a slow, long drag from it. He let the smoke fill his lungs before opening his mouth, freeing the trapped smoky air.

Tom watched the older man continue his motions before biting his lip, letting his tongue flip the sliver of metal from side to side. 

Mark sighed deeply and flicked the tip of his Newport, sending ash scurrying into the sky above him. It was when he brought the white stick back to his lips that he heard Tom speak to him in a small voice. 

"I thought you quit."

Mark looked over to Tom, his face showed his exhaustion and dark circles beneath his blue eyes. "I did. I bought a pack at the hotel gift shop while you were sleeping. I didn't see a point in both of us being awake all night."

Tom frowned at his troubled lover. He tried to ignore the nervous feeling spreading through the pit of his stomach. "You left me alone?" He whispered, tightening his grip on the dangling toy. 

"You were sleeping. I knew I'd be back before you'd even notice. Relax, you weren't entirely alone, Travis is still sleeping in his room." Mark rasped, turning his head back to look at the bright neon lights below.

The younger man's frown was still forming as he looked over his left shoulder and peered into the main room, past the living room and to the sealed bedroom door that Travis lay behind. 

"Mark? Next time wake me up. I'm gonna have trouble falling asleep if I know you might leave me." Tom pulled Piggy into his chest as he talked, getting quieter as he saw his boyfriend roll his eyes. 

"C'mon Tom, I'm not going to wake you up for a two minute trip down to the lobby. It's four a.m., you don't need to have my bad sleeping patterns run into you. You need all the rest you can get." Mark rubbed his forehead and took one last drag from his cigarette, before stubbing it out on the railing and flicking it into the night below. 

The shorter man rubbed his eyes and cracked his neck before turning to look at the younger man. "Baby, come here. No, don't cry, lover." 

Mark had turned to see Tom's bottom lip shaking, his piercing quivering so much it was clinking against his teeth. His eyebrows were knit together while the bottoms of his eye lashes were pooled with unshed tears. 

Mark pulled him close to his body and wrapped him tight against him. "Baby." The blue eyed man pressed a kiss against the taller man's temple as the tears overflowed and ran down his soft cheeks, soaking into the older one's shirt.

"I'm sorry I left you alone. I knew you would be fine though and I didn't want to bother you with my own personal shit. I just can't get my mind to shut off sometimes. I knew you were safe though." Mark explained. 

"I d-d-don't c-care th-though. I'm... fuck. I'm such a wimp. I need you, so fucking much it scares me." Tom stuttered. Wiping his nose against Mark's warm chest, Tom bit his lip pondering their future. 

"Marky? What's going to happen when we finish the tour? When we go home?" Tom blinked, tucking his head under the older man's chin. 

Mark sighed. "I'm not sure, Tom. I think that we should be all poetic and shit and say 'lets follow our hearts' or something and stay together. Move in together, maybe have you talk to someone about your fears." Mark paused, not noticing the joyous look that had covered Tom's previously stressed face. 

"But... I just don't know how realistic that is." Tom's hands tightened around Mark's shirt, causing the older man to pull away from the boy and witness the split second of joy be washed away by a heartbroken look. 

Tom whispered, turning his face into Mark's clavicle, "Why not? Why can't we just live together and be happy? I want to be happy!" 

Mark hugged him and kissed the top of his head, "You want your happily ever after?" The older boy giggled at Tom's childlike mind.

He was on the receiving end of a slap from Tom. "Don't make fun of me! Not when I'm being all sappy."

"So you admit to being sappy? Should we rename you Thomasina?" 

Mark stumbled back as Tom shoved him on the shoulder, his body shaking from the bubbling giggles within him. His laughing died down as he watched Tom walk back into the suite's living room and sit cross legged on the couch. His arms folded against his chest as he breathed in and out with exaggeration. 

Mark hesitated following his boyfriend in. His fingers slid into his shorts pockets, rubbing the pack of Newports that were in his left pocket and the small red lighter in his right one. He closed his blue eyes, summoning his willpower to ignore the itch he felt. He already wanted another cigarette, already craving the relaxing feeling it gave him. 

He let go of the two small objects and stepped back inside, sliding the glass door shut behind him. Turning, he walked to a small plastic bag that he had placed on the side table that was right behind the plush yellow couch Tom was pouting on. 

Tom straightened up at the sound of plastic rustling. He shifted his eyes in either direction while remaining facing forwards, not letting Mark know he was interested in what the bassist was doing. 

When the rustling stopped, Tom fiddled with his hands, unfolding them and running them over his fabric covered thighs. He was curious as all hell, but didn't want Mark to know. 

Mark knew him better though. Tom was like a five year old at Christmas when it came to wrapped gifts, surprises and things he was not told about in plastic shopping bags. Mark had folded the shopping bag from the hotel lobby gift shop and placed it on the table next to the medium sized plastic rectangle he had taken out of the bag. He had been smiling as he folded the bag, knowing the extra rustling would drive Tom bonkers. 

"Oh, Baby? I forgot to mention that I also got something for you while I was in the gift shop." He said with a growing smile. Tom's shoulders shifted slightly, telling Mark that he was indeed interested and was trying to turn his head slightly so he could see the surprise Mark had for him. 

He freed the plastic rectangle from its clear protective wrapping, making sure to be loud and more mysterious for the interested boy. 

The bassist questioned the other man's actions when he heard a sucking noise. "Are you biting your lip? Dying to know what I have here?"

Tom immediately let go of his bottom lip and protesting, "Was not, and I don't care to know what you have."

Mark shrugged, "Alrighty, maybe I'll go share it with Travis, see if he wants to watch it with me."

Tom thought he could feel his eyes dilating with delight at the thought of Mark having something to watch together. They were in Vegas for three shows, down to the last three nights before they would return home to California. Their time was running out, Tom wanted to enjoy every moment he could being close to Mark. 

After the way their conversation ended with plans for when they return he wasn't sure. Tom was nervous, perhaps Mark wouldn't need him and would find his younger boyfriend clingy and overwhelming. 

Tom blinked back tears as he shifted in his seat, ready to turn to Mark and beg him to cuddle with him and watch whatever Mark bought. 

"Mark-" Tom didn't finish his sentence due to his boyfriend lowering a VHS movie case into his line of sight. Brown eyes enlarged as he grabbed the colorful plastic cover and inspected it. 

"Close your mouth, dear. You're going to collect flies." Mark playfully smacked Tom on his cheek as he skipped around the couch to the entertainment system. 

He pressed the power button on the tv and smiled at the hum of the stereo as it came to life. Tom bounced on the couch awaiting the start of the Disney movie. 

"Tommy you got to stay quiet. You're going to wake up Trav. Then we'll both be in big trouble. He'll go after you and I'll feel obligated to protect you cause I'm obviously the male in this relationship." Mark paused with a devious smile at the surprised look on the younger boy's face. 

"Why do you always make me out to be the girl in the relationship? I should be the man. I'm taller." Tom whined, curling up into Mark's body as the older man sat on the couch next to him. 

"Hun, who ever is the one that cries during Disney movies is automatically the female. It's a known fact. That would be you and your femaleness, so end of discussion." Mark wrapped his arms around the younger man and stretched out along the length of the couch, pulling the boy down with him. 

"I saw you cry when Mufasa died in the stampede. I know you did, you tried not to but you did. I saw it." Tom burrowed himself backwards into Mark's chest as they spooned on the couch. 

"Whatever. If you didn't cry then, you had no heart." The older man justified, threading their fingers together. 

Tom made a scoffing noise before he sighed happily, safe and warm in Mark's arms. He had three days to figure out what would happen when the tour ended. He would worry about it later. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Thank you, have a good night and remember-" Mark shouted into the microphone to the screaming crowd, pausing to smile at Tom. He then pointed to him and finished his sentence, "I fucked his mom."

Tom laughed and shouted back playful banter, "Yea well your sister wasn't complaining much when I fucked her in your bed last night. In fact, she was quite loud, I'm surprised we didn't wake you up."

Mark's mouth dropped open dramatically, he turned to look at the crowd and acted enraged. "Have a good night Vegas, I have to go kick this kid's ass." Mark gently placed his sea foam green bass down on the stage and charged across directly towards Tom. 

Tom, ever one to get attention, let out a high pitched scream and threw his guitar over his shoulder, hands in the air, flailing about. He ran off stage and peered over his shoulder noticing Mark closing in on his heels. He turned, ducking quickly to miss decapitation by a support strut for the band's speaker, and ran to his dressing room. 

Mark pretended to be angry, trying not to let his smirk get too large. Mark reached the dressing room door moments after it was slammed shut by the screaming guitarist. He put on his creepy voice as he slowly opened the door and rumbled, "Heeeeeeeeere's Marky!" quoting Jack Nicholson from Stephen King's 'The Shining'. 

Tom squealed from his hiding spot from underneath the food table and crawled across the room to shove himself behind the couch against the wall. Mark took large heavy steps, raising his arms up in the air like a dinosaur and roared when he got to Tom's hiding spot. 

He reached his arms down to pull Tom out by his feet, which at the height Tom was, made it impossible for him to fit his entire body behind the couch, much to his dismay. 

"Rawwwwr I'm a Hoppusaurus and I like to eat little DeLongesauruses! First I must cook you though!" Mark picked up Tom and tossed him over his shoulder. He left the dressing room running in the direction of the stage. Mark met Travis on his way back through the crowd of stagehands. 

Mark grinned wildly, bearing his teeth and made another roaring sound as Tom shouted, "Ahhhh! He's going to eat me! Somebody save me!"

Travis chuckled as shook his head as he made his way back to the showers. He handed Tom his drumsticks to use as a defensive weapon as he passed them. 

Tom thanked the drummer and began to smack Mark on the ass with the sticks. Mark hopped the stairs to get up to the stage and ran out much to the crowd's surprise. A few girls in the front row started screaming as Mark ran out roaring with Tom bouncing on his shoulder. 

The bassist ran up to a microphone, knowing it would still be on and lowered his voice as he growled into it. Soon the entire crowd had stopped exiting traffic to watch and scream, encouraging Mark. 

"Rawwwwwr! Hoppusaurus strikes again!" The blue eyed 'dino' ran to the other side of the stage before remembering there was no way to exit to backstage on that side and caused another round of screams to start as he ran across to stage right once more. 

Tom was giggling loudly and was soon out of breath from having the older man's shoulder pressing into his diaphragm expelling all excess air. Mark slowed down and ended his charade once they reached their dressing room. 

Plopping Tom on the couch, he pulled off his sweat dampened shirt and threw it into a basket in the corner of the room. Mark briefly thought of how soon he'd have to attempt doing his own laundry again. Tom had propped his legs up on the edge of the couch and reclined, placing both hands on either side of the back of his head.

Travis walked back into the main room, freshly showered. Tom spoke with his eyes still closed, hearing his slightly older friend rustling in his bag. "I have your drumsticks over here." The resting boy pointed to a spot on the floor. 

"Keep 'em, you can sell them and make a pretty penny." Travis charmingly smirked. 

Tom giggled, opening his eyes to check on where Mark was. Seeing him digging in his bag, he closed his tired eyes again, the buzz from the show fading quickly. 

Swinging his filled bag over his tattooed shoulder, Travis asked, "You guys gonna shower here or at the hotel?" 

Tom grunted some sort of acknowledgement, so the blue eyed man looked over at Mark. He was still pawing through his bag, apparently not being able to find what he was searching for. 

"Uhhh, we'll catch ya tomorrow. I'm going to shower here while sleeping beauty rests. You can head back in the car, we'll get a cab or something." Mark triumphantly held up the small stick of deodorant and turned to Travis.

"Alright, bro, later. See ya princess!" Travis laughed as Tom raised a finger, effectively flicking him off. 

When Travis closed the door, Mark stepped quietly over to Tom and kissed his forehead. "Ew! I forgot you're all sweaty. Come on, let's shower... together."

One warm brown eye popped open and peered up at two smiling bright blue ones staring back at him. Tom reached his hands out to Mark, wanting the older man to help pull him into a sitting position. 

Reaching his arms out to grasp the eager guitarist's hands, Mark pulled the younger one up. Tom twisted his body, ready to stand and follow when he was caught off guard by an intensely sweet kiss. 

When Mark pulled away, sadly breaking the contact between the two of them, Tom still had his eyes closed. A small happy smile danced across his still swollen lips. 

"Let's go, Love. I want to see how long I can make you last. I'm going for a new world record." Mark paused, leading the way and pulling Tom into the still foggy bathroom by the hand. "Two minutes." 

As Tom objected, he was whipped around in a circle as the shorter man reeled the brown eyed boy in for another kiss. Tapping his nose against the other's, Mark whispered against Tom's lips. "Regardless. I'm going to make you scream."

Tom's breathing hitched a bit, shocked by the dominating sound in the older man's voice. All he could do was nod and stand still, trying to ignore the growing bulge in his pants. 

Mark began to undo his belt and turned to Tom, giving a wicked smile as the younger boy swallowed and took in Mark's body. The older man could feel the brown eyes devouring him, traveling up and down over him. Excitement bubbling within the boy at the thought of what lay beneath the cargo shorts Mark was wearing. 

Mark slowly unzipped his zipper and undid his button. Letting the fabric hang on his hips, he watched as Tom's eyes focus in on his crotch. He used his toes to push off his shoes, kicking them to the side and slid a finger inside each sock, throwing them in the same direction as his black Converse.

"Come here and help me with the rest." Mark spoke softly to the younger man, reaching a hand out and waving him over.

The brown eyed man swallowed, slightly nervous at having to undress his boyfriend. "Come on, babe, help me." Mark coerced. 

Tom slowly walked up the the slightly shorter man and raised his shaking hands to the top of Mark's shorts. He weaved his polish chipped fingers underneath the waistband of the dark red boxers. Bending down so that he was on his knees, Tom licked his lips, sucking the small silver hoop into his mouth. 

Tom peered up from beneath his eyelashes when he heard Mark suck in a deep breath. His dark brown eyes soaked up the sight above him. The blue eyed man had closed his eyes, his soft lips forming a perfect 'o' shape. 

Tom bit his lip and smiled, beginning to pull down the older man's underwear and shorts. 

Mark softly chanted, "Oh fuck, oh fuck..." repeatedly. Tom looked back down to the older man's shorts and stopped. Tom could see Mark's thick length being constrained by his boxers. 

Mark groaned at the trapped feeling, Tom had stopped pulling his clothing off so that the waistband of his boxers was right on the cusp of Mark's head. 

Tom took his hands off the clothing and just admired what was revealed in front of him. 

"Tom, please Tom, c'mon be nice now." The bassist begged. 

Tom hushed Mark and raised his hands so that they were resting on each of the man's thighs. Letting the pads of his fingertips run over the skin there, he slowly closed the distance between his hands and had them meet at the middle. 

He pulled slightly at the curly patch of hair that was growing there, not ready to move further south. Mark tried to keep his noises to a minimum, it was getting difficult though, and a moan slipped out from his mouth when Tom's calloused fingers skimmed the base of his cock. 

After a moment of just little tiny touches, Tom moved to the length of Mark's cock. He felt the smooth skin, focusing on a blood vessel that ran along the side of Mark's throbbing shaft. Mark's knees buckled a little, his eyes closing as his legs gave way. Tom's fingers fell away and the older man bit back a whimper at the loss of touch. 

Mark took a deep breath in, and when he opened his eyes, Tom saw a different glimmer in them. Mark swallowed roughly, and spoke with an authoritative tone in his voice. 

"Take them off all the way. Now." 

Brown eyes dilated as the words left Mark's mouth. Tom hesitated before pulling the two layers off completely and let them pool around Mark's rigid toes.  

When Tom lifted his eyes, he was taken back at what he saw. Mark was standing there, shoulders rising with labored breaths, legs spread slightly apart as he kicked the last remnants of his clothing away. Mark's mouth was drawn in a tight line, only a glimmer of a smile every few moments. His erection stood straight out, nearly six inches away from Tom's face. 

Glancing back up at Mark, Tom saw something flash across the shorter man's face. He was excited by this power. He enjoyed being the one in control. 

"Fuck, you look hot on your knees. Why don't you make use of being so close to the ground. Stroke it, taste it. Tell me what you think of it." Mark ordered, running his fingertips down Tom's jawline. Mark brushed his thumb over Tom's piercing, eyebrows furrowing when Tom flinched. 

The older man froze on the spot. He recognized the fleeting emotion that Tom let cross his face. Fear mixed with hesitation.

Mark crouched down to be at Tom's level, so they were face to face. His look softened a bit as he moved his hand to raise the younger man's chin so their eyes met. 

"Hey," he said softly, his voice sounded completely different than before, "you know I would never hurt you, right? Not ever, baby. Okay? Don't be afraid. If this is too much for you, we can stop." 

Tom looked into Mark's eyes, contemplating what he was feeling. He knew the look he saw in Mark's eyes. His boyfriend wanted the control, he was turned on by it. At the same time, all of this was still new to Tom and he was scared of what could happen. Mark had always gone slow with him, never pushing him to do anything he was uncomfortable with. Did he trust him enough?

Tom swallowed harshly, he could feel his cheeks heating up as he whispered, touching his nose to Mark's. "I want to."

Mark sucked his bottom lip in, feeling the butterflies come to life within him. He was worried when he saw Tom's hesitancy. His mind wandered to his experimentation in the shower the other day. He wondered what it would feel like, to have Tom be the one to explore that part of him. 

Maybe next time. Right now he wanted Tom's hot, wet mouth to suck on his achingly hard dick till he couldn't stand up straight. 

Mark stands back up, pulling Tom with him. He pulls the taller man in for a loving kiss, one that has no tongue. The kiss has just enough to keep Tom wanting more. 

When the younger guitarist leans in for another one, Mark dodges the other man's attempt. Instead, he leans in and licks Tom's piercing, rolling his tongue over it and pulling on it the tiniest bit, wiping the look of disappoint right off the boy's face. It was replaced by a moan that made Mark smile, feeling the heady mixture of hormones and dominance again. 

Tom sees the glint returning to the blue eyes. He slowly lowers himself to his knees, ignoring the way they seemed to pop and crackle on the grey tiled floor. 

Holding Mark's base, Tom tentatively licks the tip. His brown eyes fly up to watch the older man's reaction, hearing an inhaled hiss before he could see it. He licks again, swirling the tip of his tongue around Mark's slit, tasting the salty liquid that has begun to drip. 

Tom pulls away, leaving his tongue hanging past his lips. Mark's precum hangs delicately, strung from the tip of the bassist's cock to Tom's warm tongue.  Mark happens to look down at that precise moment and sees the strand of precum hanging and closes his eyes. He quietly requests for Tom to continue. 

Mark jumps as Tom suddenly licks the underside of his cock, from base to head before shoving nearly two-thirds of the blue eyed singer's penis into his mouth. 

The younger man begins bobbing back and forth as his hands go to work twisting and gripping Mark's length. Blue eyes slowly open, revealing Tom working ferverently on giving the most pleasure possible to the older man. 

Mark nearly loses it when Tom's left hand gradually lowers itself to cup both of Mark's balls. He lets out a low groan when Tom squeezes them slightly and begins to massage them. 

A loud moan leaves Mark unexpectedly when Tom's middle finger slips past Mark's balls and gently scrapes over his tight pucker. Tom loses his rhythm for a moment, surprised by Mark's loud and extremely turned on response. 

He focuses back on his boyfriend's cock when he feels a wave flow through it. It hardens further, and he feels Mark lowering himself slightly, causing his fingers to press against Mark's hole. 

When Mark begins to breathe heavily, and a rhythm begins where the older man is nearly bouncing up and down on Tom's fingers, the two men are startled by a door opening into the shower room.

A young woman wearing a headphone set and carrying a clipboard walks in unaware of the singers's predicament. She's no older than Mark, and seems to be distracted by the task she was assigned to.

Tom is frozen to the spot, completely unable to comprehend what is about to happen, terrified that he will be caught. 

Mark's body is sweating and as if in slow motion yells out, startling the young girl. Realizing that the showers were in use, she throws up her clipboard, shielding her face and squeezing her eyes shut and letting out a rushed, "Holy shit, Mr. Hoppus, I'm so sorry! They told me that everyone was out of the dressing rooms, I was just supposed to check and make sure none of the air vents were being blocked by towels, I guess this venue has had trouble with that and other guests. Come to think of it I'm not really sure why they had me do it, I'm supposed to be in charge of the sound booth and make sure that everything is running according to plan-"

Mark cuts her off, "Um, what's your name?" Tom has since gotten up off his knees and was trying to take refuge behind Mark, as if that will be able to protect their secret. 

Mark is harder than a choir boy in a porn shop. 

Pretty difficult to come up with an excuse as to why Mark's naked, hard and flushed while Tom is fully clothed and his lips are slightly swollen. 

"It's Fiona, sir. People call me Fi though, I mean, you can call me whatev-" Fiona is once again cut off by Mark.

"Ok, Fi, I don't mean to be rude here but do you think you can leave? I'm kind of naked and about to take a shower." Mark reaches behind him with his left hand and feels for the shower knob on the wall. He turns on the water for good measure, going along with his story. 

Tom gasps in shock as he is soaked head to toe in cold water. He sputters as water quickly slides down his face and into his mouth. Mark starts coughing trying to cover up the noises coming from the drenched man. 

Fiona nods and apologizes as she quickly turns and scuttles out of the shower room, her clipboard flipping to the other side to hide her reddened face. 

Mark turns to look at Tom, who is now soaked head to toe.  "Aw, baby I'm so sorry!" 

Laughing, Mark reached his hands up, placing them on either side of the younger man's face. Tom was pouting as the water pelted his back, darkening his bright orange tshirt and weighing down his jeans. Mark kissed him sweetly on the lips, trying to convey his apologies. 

"Is cold. Off. Take it off. Help." Tom mumbled, still pouting. His teeth began to chatter. Mark raised both eyebrows and quickly reached out to fix the temperature of the water. 

He pulled at the bottom of Tom's shirt, lifting it up and reaching under the shirt to help pull the taller man's lanky arms through the sleeves. He leaned in to give soft kisses on Tom's collar bone after he lifted the shirt over the boy's head. 

Letting it drop to the tile floor with a wet flop, Mark ran his fingers over Tom's wet chest. A soft moan was swallowed up by Mark as it left Tom's lips. Tom's shoulders slumped as Mark made his way down to the boy's sagging pants. 

"You have a nice ass." Mark commented as his fingers ran over it, getting down on his knees. 

Tom rambled as Mark's hands went to work pulling down the soaked fabric. "Yea, a nice ass that can keep my pants up when they get to heavy. It's huge, although I guess its good cause otherwise my pants would be falling off all the time." 

Tom gasped when Mark shoved the front of Tom's boxer shorts down and popped the tip of his already leaking cock into his mouth. 

Tom then let out a low, long drawn out, "Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck." Letting his head hang back, he threaded his long slender fingers into Mark's increasingly damp hair, pulling on the long wet strands. He pulled the older man closer, forcing more of his cock into Mark's mouth. 

Mark finally pushed Tom back slightly and raised himself. He gave the brown eyed guitarist one kiss before placing his hands on Tom's shoulder and spun him around, the boy's wet jeans still pooled by his feet. Mark spit on his hand and grabbed his cock, spreading it over the hard flesh. 

Sticking his middle finger in his mouth, Mark spread Tom's cheeks with his other hand and reached down, feeling around for his hole. He toyed with it for a moment, running the tip of his finger over the ridges surrounding it. Mark could feel Tom tense, it caused him to stop and place a kiss on the back of the taller man's neck. 

"I dont have a condom. Fuck, I can wait till later when we have one and lube, if you want." Mark offered, still circling the small pucker and kissing his way up to the back of Tom's head. 

"No. Now, I want it now. I don't care if it'll hurt a little more. I want you in me, hurry.I trust you. I'm all yours." Tom gruffly pleaded. 

That was all Mark needed to hear before he pressed his wet finger in past the tight ring of muscle. Stretching the younger man out, Mark could barely contain himself. The moans that were leaving Tom's mouth were too much for him to handle. 

Deciding that Tom was ready for him, he placed his left hand on Tom's hip and his right guided his hard dick to Tom's entrance. 

A hiss left Tom's lips as he clenched his eyes shut, waiting for the sharp pain of him being stretched to leave and be replaced by the earth shattering pleasure he knew would eventually come. 

Mark pushed all the way in, almost losing it simply from the feel of Tom's tight hole. "Holy shit, baby. You're so fucking tight!" Mark gasped, pressing his forehead into the middle of Tom's shoulder blades. His right hand landed on Tom's right hip, Mark's fingernails digging into the shower drenched skin. 

Mark slid backwards, pulling out a little bit, ready to thrust hard into Tom when he noticed how tense his boyfriend's body was. "You okay?" He questioned. 

Tom didn't answer right away, he couldn't focus on anything but the pain. "Baby." Mark began placing little kisses over Tom's back, gradually helping to relax the younger man. 

Tom opened his eyes, turned his face to the side and looked over his shoulder. He gave a quick short nod. "Alright. Go for it." 

Mark grinned and pulled all the way out, before angling his hips so that he would hit Tom's prostate on the first thrust. He knew he did it successfully when Tom's hands flew up to the shower wall and he cried out in pleasure. 

"Fuck Mark! Right there, yea, please, right there!" Tom began to call out, his head falling back as he lost himself in the pleasure of Mark's relentless thrusts. 

Mark could feel the hum of his orgasm pending, starting out in his core and moving through him as he picked up the pace and finally drove himself over the edge, falling against the brown eyed man's back. 

Hearing Mark moan his name, Tom's hands flew behind him, grabbing his boyfriend's neck and arched his back. He felt himself being filled with the older man's hot cum. That was all it took for Tom to be undone, before he was shooting his cum all over the tile wall and his chest. 

The two men stood, slumped together as they regained their regular breathing patterns. "That." Mark paused, pressing a kiss into Tom's neck, "Was the hottest fucking thing ever. You didn't even touch yourself!" 

Tom smiled, walking backwards with Mark holding on to him, letting the older man's now softening cock fall out of him. They stood under the warm spray, letting the water cleanse them. 

Tom turned to face Mark and kiss him fiercely. "You up for round two back at the hotel?"

"Abso-fucking-lutely." Mark answered, already feeling himself stir to life again. 

Tom just grinned and reached for a towel, already making plans for round two. 


	20. Chapter 20

"Maaaaaaark!" Tom whined, pulling on the other man's shirt sleeve. 

He lowered his voice, "My ass hurts, Mark. Like more than normal."

Mark ignored the younger man as he continued walking through the crowded casino, mesmerized by all the flashing lights and whirling noises. 

"Mark! Please, it's..." Tom begged, moving his mouth closer to the older man's ears, "it's burning. I want to go back to the hotel room. Please, I don't feel well!" 

"We just got here Tom! Wait what? It's burning? Why is it burning?" Mark's voice got quieter as he grasped Tom's forearm and pulled him to the side, away from the moving crowds. 

Tom shrugged his shoulders, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "We did kinda 'over-do' it with the round two..." Tom paused, smirking, "and three and four."

Mark blushed and ushered Tom further away from the crowds of elderly casino regulars and began to make their way to the hotel lobby connected to the casino. 

They stood close to one another while they waited for the elevator to arrive. Once the mirrored doors opened, Mark gently led Tom into the small box. Noticing the elevator was vacant other than the two of them, he began to rub small circles on the taller man's back. 

"What's it feel like? Just burning?" Mark questioned once they began to ascend.

Tom chewed on his lip for a moment before stating, "Wet." 

Mark quirked his right eyebrow. "Wet? Fuck. I probably ripped you. Fuck. I'm so sorry!" 

Tom giggled. 

"This is not funny, it takes forever to heal! Every time you go to take a shit it's going to tear it a little bit. It's going to be hurting for like a week." Mark explained.

The blue eyed man waited for the lightbulb to go off in Tom's head. They arrived at their floor in the mean time and began to walk hand in hand down the hallway.

There was obviously a connection error because Tom stayed quiet. The shorter man rolled his eyes and pulled his key card out of his wallet. Sliding the leather material back into his pants he swiped the card and pushed open the door.

Tom had begun to waddle, uncomfortable with the wet feeling that seemed to be spreading. 

Mark trotted past a passed out Travis in the living area of the suite they were sharing. 

Plopping himself face first onto the bed closest to the door, he said, "That means no sex until you're better."

Tom nodded and went into the bathroom, unfolding a washcloth, turning the gold handle of the faucet and ran the white terrycloth under the warm water. 

Mark could hear the buckle from Tom's belt hit the floor along with a quiet clunk of his shorts and boxers. 

The younger man hissed as he brought the heated cloth to his raw hole. Gently pulling the washcloth away, he whimpered at the sight of blood. 

Mark, who had been listening for any sort of indication as to how Tom was doing, perked up at the small noise that left the guitarist's lips. "Baby? You okay?" 

Mark stood as he waited for a reply. Hearing nothing, he tiptoed to the nearly closed bathroom door. A sliver of light seeped out into their bedroom. 

Mark could only see shadows that were dancing on the checkered black and white tile floor. 

"Tom?" He called out, he heard a scurry of fabric and the water being turned on at full force. "I'm coming in." Mark said as he pushed open the door.

He frowned at the sight in front of him. Hot wet tears were rolling down Tom's flushed cheeks as he rushed to clean the now stained washcloth. "Go away, Mark, I'm fine. I'll be fine, I just need a moment." The younger man frantically insisted. 

Mark's concerned face moved closer to Tom's. Raising both of his arms up to the boy's hunched shoulders, he turned Tom so the taller man was facing him. Running the pads of his thumbs over the flushed soft cheeks of the pained boy, the bassist sighed.

"Baby, you're bleeding..." Mark trailed off, slightly hurt when Tom scoffed at the older man.

"No shit. Way to state the obvious." He hung his head, ashamed of his current situation. His pants had since fallen back down, the tears slid down his face faster than imaginable. 

Mark's strong arms worked their way around the rounded shoulders of the brown eyed man. "Come here, sweetheart." Mark cooed as Tom fell against the shorter man's chest. 

"I'm so sorry. I did this. Let me take care of you. You have to let me." Mark raked his fingers through Tom's hair, practically making the younger man purr. 

Tom nodded, frowning when Mark pulled away. Tom began to pull up his pants, freezing when he felt a sudden stinging from his rear. 

Mark plugged the white hotel tub and peered back at the guitarist when he heard a whimper. "Baby don't," Mark sighed, moving near the bent boy helping him to slowly stand straight up. 

"There's no point. Take you're shirt off too. I'll help you with your shoes." Mark crouched next to Tom's feet and began to undo the black laces. 

Pulling the tongue of the cloth sneaker side to side he loosened the shoe and gently grasped Tom's calf to help raise his foot and take the shoe off. He did the same for the other foot before standing next to Tom. He planted a loving kiss on the boy's cheek and began to pull his own clothes off. 

Tom bit his lip, not really knowing where this whole both of them being naked at the same time thing, was going. He shifted from one foot to the other. Feeling something warm between his legs, he bowed his knees and pouted as the thick red liquid slowly made its way down the back of the brown eyed man's thighs. 

Walking without a thought of being completely nude, Mark stepped towards the sink and picked up the discarded washcloth. He wrung it out and made his way back to the tub. Mark turned the faucet handles clockwise, testing the temperature and adjusting the water. 

Once he had settled on a temperature that was a little lower than what he preferred, he turned to Tom. The tall brunette was wiping his face, eyes red and sad looking. 

Mark held his arms out for the younger man and beckoned the brown eyed singer towards him. Mark let the cloth he had been holding drop and float in the rising water. Taking Tom's hand, he guided him into the bathtub and gently pulled on his arm, signaling for the boy to sit. 

Tom clenched his brown eyes shut as the water washed over him and a low, dull throbbing began on his bottom.  

Mark kneeled next to the white tub and submerged both hands into the water. He bit his lip and reached slowly for the floating washcloth. Wringing the cloth out again, he placed it on the side of the tub. The blue eyed man frowned when he noticed a pink tinge in the water near Tom's middle. 

"Baby I'm so sorry. This is my fault." Mark whispered, apologizing. 

Tom leaned back slowly, sinking his chest under the water and raising his knees up. He shook his head and replied, "Stop, you're making it sound like I had no clue this could happen. You didn't rape me, Christ, I begged you to fuck me." 

Biting the inside of his cheek, the blue eyed man wiped gently at the slightly dried blood on Tom's inner thighs. "Still..." Mark protested, "I feel responsible. Let me fix it."

Wide brown eyes blinked with innocence and watched as Mark lowered the cloth between his legs and submerged it slowly under the water. 

Mark gently pressed the cloth in between Tom's cheeks and applied the slightest bit of pressure. Tom groaned in pain, closing his eyes as Mark wiped slowly at the stains on his legs and around his hole. 

When Mark had finished, he looked around at the water Tom was laying in. The once crystal clear liquid was now tainted with the blood of Tom's wound. It was a light rose color. 

Mark reached for the plug and pulled at it, watching the water quickly make it's exit. Tom sat up, confusion written on his shaking face. 

"W-w-what are you doing?" He stuttered, pulling his legs up to keep his body heat, his shivering interfering with his speech. Mark stood and wrapped a towel around him.

"Just getting you into clean water." Mark kissed Tom's forehead before leaning over and replugging the tub. He reached one arm out to turn both faucet handles to the right and adjusted it so it was the perfect temperature. 

As the tub began to rise, Tom stretched out his long legs. Mark let his hands dip into the water. The bassist paddled water over Tom's goosebumped shins and thighs. 

Tom wiggled his toes as the water continued to rise and covered him up to his hips.

Mark waited until the water had reached Tom's belly and stopped the water. Then, he stood and stuck a foot in the steaming water behind Tom's lanky body. Standing much like a flamingo, he waited until the younger man scooted forwards and discarded the towel.

Tom sighs happily as he leans back against Mark's smooth chest. "Hey Mark? Can I ask you a question?" 

As Mark begins his sentence, "You alread-", the younger guitarist rolls his eyes and shushes him. "Yea, yea, I know I already did my friend. But I'm serious. I want to ask you something that's been on my mind lately. I'm a little..." 

Tom stops, turning his head up slightly to look into Mark's blue eyes. "nervous." He finishes whispering. 

The bassist ignores the fluttering in his chest as he leans down to softly kiss the boy's forehead. "Go on, don't be shy."

Tom looks back down into the water, rubbing his lower stomach as he contemplates his wording. 

"Well," He begins, not meeting the deep blues that drive him wild, "I was wondering, and you can totally say no to this and I promise I won't be hurt or anything by it..." 

Glancing up to Mark's face, he pauses again. Mark can sense his hesitation, growing slightly nervous. Tom hasn't acted this way in a long time. 

The last time Mark saw him like this, Tom was asking him how to stop wet dreams from happening. His face had the same cherry red tinge to it, sparkling from a nervous sweat. 

-/- Sixteen year old Tom sat next to his new best friend on a rock near the San Diego shoreline. Mark was watching the girls run by in the setting sun, biting his lip and making small comments to Tom, as if he were a sports arena announcer. 

"And Blondie Number Two is making her way up, bouncing as if she hasn't had to practice in two years up along side her teammate, Brunette Number One! She's going for it, she's going to pass her and she does it! First place lead looks like its going to go to-" Mark stood, startling Tom, who had been lost in his own thoughts. Mark raised his arms and shouted "Goooooooooooooal!" 

The women in the sand looked up to the top of the rocks where the two friends were sitting. Mark immediately sat down when he realized how loud he was being. 

"Hey Mark?" Tom began, kicking smaller pebbles with his bare toes. The tall skater leaned back against the sun warmed rocks. The older friend turned and replied "Yea dude, what's up?"

Tom stretched out, nervousness bubbling up inside him. He could feel his face heating up, not even yet able to utter a word. He knocked his scraped and dusty Converse off the rock and made himself jump. 

Mark laughed at his jumpiness, not yet understanding that the more nervous the teen got, the more clumsy and jittery he became. 

"Um, well, this kid in my biology class invited me to hang out at his house tomorrow." Tom paused, swallowing and bit his fingernails. 

Ignoring the tightness that suddenly arose in Mark's chest he quickly tried to think of what he would do on his Saturday now that Tom wouldn't be around. 

It kind of was an unspoken thing they had between themselves that Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays until dinner were time for them to chill and play music and just generally wreak havoc on the neighborhood. 

Tom continued, unaware of Mark's thoughts. "See, we have this project that's due Monday and of course we procrastinated and now we have to try to do it all in one day. And he's got some family thing going on, on Sunday so that really just leaves tomorrow."

Mark decided he would spend the day practicing his bass and possibly convincing his mom to let him borrow the station wagon to go to the mall and hang out at the record store. 

Mark nodded along, waiting for the question the younger boy supposedly had. 

Tom sat up, standing and began hopping along the big rocks, sliding in some sand and catching himself before he broke something. 

"Just spit it out already, my ADD is kicking in and I'm losing interest in what you're saying!" Mark exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air dramatically. 

Tom stopped, wiping his hands on his dark cargos and began to twirl his fingers in the fabric near his pockets. "Well, he invited me to spend the night." 

Mark laughed, "So what the fuck are you worried about? That he'll ass rape you in the night?"

Tom tucked his chin into his chest before squatting down near Mark. 

"No, I'm not." Tom's face got redder, Mark wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment or if it was from the nearly set sun. 

"I've been having a problem, the past few weeks. It's happened like every night and I don't know what to do about it. I can't ask my parents or Shon, it's just too, ugh." The brown eyed boy sighed, burying his head in his hands. 

Mark giggled, "What, are you wetting the bed or something? Do they even make diapers big enough for a kid your age?" 

Mark howled with laughter as he slapped his knees, completely sure his humor was amazingly witty. 

Tom gave a frustrated groan, "No! I'm not wetting the bed. And I'm not a kid either! It's just..." He unwrapped his fingers from his shorts before finding his way to his Cure tshirt. 

"Is there any way to stop a, um, uh... I can't seem to figure out a way to stop um," Tom paused again, dreading actually having to say it to his giggling friend. 

"Never mind. Asking Shon would be easier than this." Tom shook his head, wiped his face of the perspiration that had accumulated there and reached for his shoes. 

As he shook out his socks from the sand that had found its way in from the fall off the rock, Mark stopped him, grabbing his scuffed low tops and held them out of the boy's reach. 

"No, I'll be serious. You told me this entire huge story, go ahead and finish it." Mark persisted. 

Tom squinted his warm brown eyes at the boy, debating whether or not to go through with asking his question.

"I keep waking up in the middle of the night. Um, sticky. From um, ejaculating." Tom quietly explained, his face throbbing from embarrassment. 

Mark bit back a laugh, and tried to speak without letting Tom know how hilarious he thought this entire conversation was. He covered his mouth before trying to give Tom a solution for his little... problem. 

"Its called having a wet dream. You're sixteen, you're horny. Jerk off before bed and it probably won't happen." He snickered a little, biting the inside of his cheek when he saw Tom inspecting his facial expression. The younger boy was trying to determine if what the blue eyed man said was true or complete bull shit. 

"Jerk off?" He questioned, covering his face when Mark burst out laughing. 

"Oh come on! You have got to be kidding me! You never played with yourself?! You never explored that part of your body?" Mark wiped away the tears from the laughter that overtook his body. 

When Mark finished wiping his eyes, he noticed Tom had gone quiet and still had his face buried in his hands. Mark frowned as the boy's knobby shoulders shook. 

"Shit, Tom? You alright?" Mark reached out a hand, quickly pulling it back when Tom jumped from his touch. The older friend hesitantly looked down at the now crouching boy. 

Mark crouched down next to him, and softly spoke to Tom. "Hey look, I didn't mean to upset ya. Don't cry. Dude, hey, stop. It's fine, everything's fine. Look, let's go back to my place. I can give you something to help." 

Tom sniffled quickly and pulled up he front of his shirt to wipe his face. Darting his eyes up to peek at Mark's face, he dropped his eyes, searching for the dropped socks. 

Pulling them and his sneakers back on, he stood and wiped off the back of his pants. Mark had already hopped down off the rocks and was waving at Tom to follow him. 

Tom scooted down off the rocks and jogged to catch up with the older boy, grabbing his skateboard from a nearby bush and jumped on. 

Once they had gotten back to Mark's house, the two left their boards on the front lawn and paused to say hello to Mark's mom. 

"Tom, it's good to see you, dear. Are you going to stay for dinner? I'm planning on ordering a couple of pizzas." Mrs. Hoppus asked, stirring a pitcher of freshly mixed iced tea. 

Tom smiled and nodded. "Yes please, I just need to call and let my mom know. I'll use the phone in Mark's room. Thank you!" 

Tom went ahead to Mark's room, chuckling to himself as he heard Mark's mom begin to lecture him on how a kid four years younger knew enough to call when he wouldn't be home for dinner.

Tom heard Mark begin to apologize before he shut the door to Mark's bedroom. Picking up the hamburger phone, Tom laughed as he pressed the numbers for his house on the slice of cheese and raised the bun to his ear. 

Tom's Mom's voice answered the phone. "Hello?" 

Before he said a word he quickly looked at the door to make sure Mark wouldn't walk through the poster covered door. 

"Hi Momma. It's me." Tom bit his lip as he waited for his mom to respond. 

"Hi, sweetheart. Let me guess, you're at Mark's and want to stay for dinner?" 

Tom smiled and replied, "Yes, that okay? I know Dad's out of town but I won't get to hang out with Mark tomorrow cause I got that science project to work on with Jeremy."

"That's fine, Tom. Just be home before midnight okay? Kari and Shon are at a friend's house so it'll be just you and me tonight. Midnight, okay? I don't want to be up all night worrying about you, alright?"

"Okay Momma-" Tom stopped short as Mark walked through the door, giggling as he heard Tom talking. 

"Alright, sweetheart. I love you!" Tom's mom got ready to hang up the phone.

Tom blushed and quietly spoke into the hamburger patty, "Love you too, Ma." 

Tom's mom laughed, "Mark walked in, didn't he."

"How'd you-" Tom raised one eyebrow and shook his head at his mother's awareness. 

He said goodbye to his mom and closed the hamburger phone. 

"No wonder you don't know what jerking off means, you're still attached to your 'Momma'!" Mark mocked. He had to dodge a pillow being thrown at his head. 

Tom, once again had developed a deep red color in his cheeks.

Tom watched as Mark lifted his mattress and pulled out a few magazines. Letting go of the bed, he sat on the floor and held out the glossy magazines for Tom to see. 

Nude women were plastered all over the cover. Tom gulped and locked Mark's door, moving to sit down near the older man. 

Tom picked up one magazine and began to thumb through the pictures, stopping at the centerfold girl. He rotated the magazine and opened up the center leaflet.

Wide brown eyes glanced up to Mark when he heard him shuffle around to the end of his bed. Tom heard the older man's belt unbuckling. He jumped when he heard Mark's voice giving him directions. 

"Okay so here's what's going to happen. You stay up against that side of my bed and I'll stay over here. I'll walk you through what you need to do. Okay? You don't see me,  I don't see you." 

Tom nodded before realizing Mark couldn't see him. 

"Alright." Tom agreed. 

"Choose a magazine and unbuckle your belt." Mark stated.

Tom bit his lip and picked up the magazine that featured a brunette with blue eyes. He sat leaning against the bed and unbuckled his belt. He waited for more instructions. 

Mark hears the buckle hit with a soft metal clink onto his carpet. He clears his throat and begins giving directions again. 

"Open your pants and scoot them down a little bit. It'll be easier to get to your dick." 

Tom pulls down the cargos and pulls down his boxers revealing his half excited cock. When Mark tells him to pull down his underwear, he gruffly answers, "Already done."

Mark chuckles and grabs the magazine he had. Opening the glossy pages, he speaks again to Tom. "Okay, grab the magazine and flip to a page where you find a girl you think is hot. Then you take your hand, probably your right one because that's your dominate one and you grab your cock. Just start squeezing it and stroking it slowly till you get hard." 

Tom tries flipping through the pages searching for someone who he finds attractive. He ends up at the brunette that was on the cover. It sort of does it for him. 

After a few minutes of stroking himself, his mind starts to wander. Tom can hear the strokes of Mark's hands on his cock and the breathy gasps that are coming from the older boy. 

"Now you just do what feels good. I like twisting at the very top and focusing a little more pressure there. You might like something different though. You-ugh-might-fuck..." 

Mark stops talking and begins to increase his jerking hand. Tom can hear it all. He can hear the friction of Mark's hand and that it's getting faster. Tom begins to jerk his hand harder and faster, twisting at the top just like Mark said he liked. 

A moment later, Mark's voice comes in, gruff and full of deep breaths. "You're going to feel like you're going to explode. That's okay. Just keep touching yourself. With your-mmmm fuck-" Mark moans and tries to control himself. 

"With your other hand, move your shirt up so you don't mess it up. Just keep going till you cum." Mark stops talking and concentrates on himself. 

"Come? Come from where?" Tom's questions remain unanswered as he hears Mark getting louder and the bed begins to shake from the older boy's motions. 

Tom listens to the noises and feels something rising up from within him. He throws his head back as the feeling within him releases and he shoots his load all over his hand and shirt. 

Tom is gasping. When Mark regains his speech, he tells Tom to clean himself up with the tissues on his bedside table. Mark's hand reaches out from the end of the bed and grabs a crumpled towel and pulls it out of sight. 

Tom wipes his hands with the tissues, tucks himself back into his pants and groans when he looks down to his shirt. He forgot to pull it up like Mark instructed. 

"Is it safe to stand up yet?" Mark asks, wanting to stretch his legs. 

Tom whines an agreement and stands while he hangs his head, waiting for the laughter he knows is coming. Mark doesn't disappoint when he sees the white stains on Tom's black Cure tshirt. 

"Man, I told you to lift your shirt up! That, my friend is what cum is!" Mark cracks up again, pausing when he hears his mom shout for them to come get pizza before its cold. 

Tom panics and pulls at his short bleached hair. Mark turns, speaking over his shoulder, "Take that off. I'll wash it for you. Put this on."

Tom was in the middle of pulling off his tshirt when Mark holds outs a clean Decendents shirt. Tom gratefully takes it. He meets Mark's eyes and blushes, thinking back to how hearing Mark touch himself drove him over the edge. 

Mark opened the door and let his eyes fall to the floor. "So um, yea. Do that before bed and you shouldn't have any problems." 

Tom swallowed and nodded, following Mark down the hall. -/-

"Go on, just ask me, baby." Mark prods, kissing Tom on the top of his head. 

"Well, since you know, I'm kind of out of commission, I wanted to know if we could try something a little different." Tom bit on his lip ring and ran his hands down Mark's forearms. 

Mark smiled, "I like different. Sounds kinky. Tell me more." 

Tom paused again. The butterflies were growing. He wasn't sure how Mark would react. He thought back to how he had reacted yesterday in the shower when he accidentally pressed his fingers against Mark's hole. 

"I want to touch you. Like you touch me. I want to feel what you feel when you fuck me." Tom finally spit out. 

He turned in the bathtub when he felt Mark tense up.

"Um, fuck, that was not what I was expecting you to say." Mark gulped. 


	21. Chapter 21

This was bad. 

This was really bad.

Tom sat staring at the bathtub water that was cooling around him. He shivered and looked up to the doorway that Mark had fled through. The brown eyed boy frowned, not being able to see or hear anything. 

Tom tipped his head down, staring into the clear water. A droplet fell from his face, plummeting into the bath creating a rippling ring that seemed to continue as more tears fell. 

Tom pulled his hand out of the water, harshly wiping away at the hot tears that fell. He leaned back and slid down in the tub, criss-crossing his legs so most of his body would be under the lukewarm water. 

Squinting his eyes as he moved, he bit his lip trying not to think about the pain in his ass. He sniffled and looked at the ceiling, wondering if he went about things the wrong way. 

He had told Mark he wouldn't be upset. However, the young guitarist hadn't imagined Mark running away. That was unexpected and Tom bit his lip, willing it to stop shaking. 

How long had he been in the bathtub? He raised his hands and tilted his chin to see the pads of his fingertips. They looked closely like a handful of raisins. 

He was tired. The crying has worn him out. 

Tom shivered, not wanting to get up and face the embarrassment and disappointment that he felt as Mark left him in the bathtub.  

Tom froze as he heard a door handle turn and creaked open. The brown eyed boy could hear Travis's low mellow voice filter into the tiled bathroom. 

Travis's voice ended momentarily before speaking again. Tom sat up a little, turning and resting his chin on the side of the tub. It sounded like the drummer was holding up a conversation with someone. 

Tom hadn't heard anything for quite some time prior to Travis entering his and Mark's room. The singer blinked as words drifted into his ears. 

"Tom at"... "Why not?" ... "fucking serious" ... "sleep while" ... "don't know" ... "a kid" ... "fucking pussy"

A knock startled Tom, causing his chin to hit the edge of the tub, driving his top teeth into his bottom lip. With the state Tom's emotions were in, this sudden and searing pain caused the younger boy's tear ducts to surge forth with hot droplets in such rapid succession that Tom himself was surprised. 

"Hey Tom? You in there?" Travis's voice rang out, echoing slightly in the nearly empty tiled room. 

The tiniest squeak of a response was heard as Travis pushed open the large door. 

Travis poked his head through the door and disappeared again. 

Tom held his chin, crying. As his mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood, he spit into the bathtub. He crushed his eyes closed as he could hear things being thrown in the bedroom that the tub shared a wall with. 

Mark's voice rose, Tom's gasps became more and more breathy. Tom jumped as he heard a loud bang, the bathroom door being flung open and smashing against the tiles. Travis, who was shorter than Mark, had pinned the older bassist against the wall. Travis's fists were wrapped into Mark's tshirt, holding him so that Mark's bare feet barely touched the ground. 

"Look. Look at him. Why do you constantly do this to him? Do your fucking job. I could do better, and I'm not even gay." Travis shook the older boy with each sentence he seethed. 

Mark began to protest, but the drummer cut him off. "Fuck off. You are gay. Just admit it and take care of your boy." 

Travis left the two men in the bathroom, crashing doors as he went back to his own bedroom. 

Mark frowned at the spot Travis had moments before been standing in. Letting his eyes drag across the floor, he looked up in confusion as he didn't see Tom's feet anywhere. 

"Why are you still in the bathtub?" Mark croaked, in disbelief that Tom stayed in what had to be ice cold water by now.

He had left Tom in there nearly two hours ago. The older bassist had fallen asleep on their unmade bed after having an anxiety attack over Tom wanting to touch him. 

-/- "Fuck fuck fuck fuck!" Mark chanted as he paced back and forth in front of the bed Mark and Tom had been in the night before, going at it like crazy rabbits as Tom had put it at one point in the evening. 

"Okay, okay," Mark tried to calm himself down, running his hands through his hair and he bit at his lip. "He just wants to feel what I feel every time. That's not unusual, right? Fuck. I can't even ask anyone for help. I..." he trailed off as his phone began to ring. 

"Hello?" It was from an unfamiliar number. "Shit Anne, this is not a great time. Can I call you when I get done with the tour? It's kind of hectic. No, I get done in like two days. So let me call you when I get settled back at my place on Saturday. Yes, I'll come see you and mom this weekend. Alright, love you too. Hey wait, Anne? Do we know anyone that's gay?" 

He stuttered after he heard his sister's response. "I-I am n-not gay. That's not funny Anne." His sister's laughter rang through the room as if she were there with him. 

As Mark closed his cellphone, he crawled from the foot of the bed up into the middle and closed his eyes. "He said he won't be upset if I say no. I can still say no." Mark tried to sooth himself. 

"Fuck. Is it wrong of me to only want to fuck him?" He paused at his own words. "I guess it's not just a fuck though." He thought about the passion he felt radiating from Tom last night. That was definitely some hot lovemaking. Not just a fuck.

Mark began breathing deeply, trying to soothe his beating heart. "It will be fine. It will all be fine. I'll tell him no, and then maybe we can cuddle and jerk each other off." 

His blue eyes became hooded as his eyelids began to close. -/-

"Shit, you're hurt!" Mark exclaimed, rushing forth and kneeling next to the tub. Leaning over the edge, Mark reached out to cup Tom's face, wanting to know where the blood was coming from. 

Tom flinched away, causing water to slosh against the tiled wall and slip back over the guitarist's quickly drying skin. He shivered at the temperature. 

"Why do you care?" The brown eyed boy whispered. His eyes fluttered from concerned blues down to his goose bumped knees.

Mark couldn't answer for a moment, the younger boy had a point. At least from Tom's point of view. Mark hung his head in shame, he took a deep breath in and reached out for Tom's face once again. He ignored the boy's attempts to avoid his hands and held onto the flushed but chilly face. 

Mark could see small teeth marks in Tom's bottom lip. They were slowly seeping a red liquid, making the older man frown. 

He stood, letting go of Tom's chilled face, and walked to the small shelf that floated above the toilet. Unfolding one of the large beige towels, Mark shook it out and stepped closer to the shivering figure, throwing it over his own, clothed, right shoulder until he was ready for it. 

Mark reached into the cold water and pulled the metal chain to unplug the porcelain tub. The water began to decrease, a faint glug could be heard every few seconds. 

The young guitarist had pulled his knees up into his chest and tucked his head to the side, facing away from his (boy?)friend.  This was just all too much for Tom. Letting the salty tears drip down the side of his face, he pitied himself. He had been so stupid to ask that of Mark. 

Clenching his eyes shut, Tom wished the entire afternoon away and for him to go back to how things were before he asked that silly question. 

Tom barely felt Mark reaching under his armpits and pulling the tall boy to his feet. Tom brought his hands to his face, trying to cover up his expression and muffle the sounds coming out from his throat. Mark ignored Tom's actions, knowing he would have to beg like a little kid wanting candy to get Tom to forgive him. 

The guitarist tried to sit down again, fighting against Mark's help. The shorter man pressed his lips together firmly and lifted Tom again. 

"Stop it." Mark said curtly, "I'm trying to fucking help you." 

Mark met Tom's eyes as the younger man listened and stopped resisting. Mark could practically feel the pain radiating from the shivering man. 

When Mark felt that Tom would stay put, he released the naked man, pulling the towel off if his shoulder and wrapped it around Tom's body. Tom had moved his hands from his mouth to cross over his chest, trying to keep himself from shivering. Tom frowned slightly at the kind gesture from Mark. 

One minute he's being a dick and then the next the sweet guy Tom fell hard for was back. Tom was beginning to get sick from this roller coaster ride. 

"I don't get you." Tom whispered. He stepped over the ledge on the tub and stood in front of Mark, pulling the towel tighter around himself. "You're not acting like the Mark I fell in love with." Tom barely finished his sentence as his emotions took over and the lip pierced singer crumbled to pieces. 

"Fuck." Mark swore as he engulfed Tom in a hug. Tom was too upset at this point to avoid Mark's encircling grasp. The tearful brown eyed boy let himself be picked up and slowly carried out of the bathroom, which he had been in for the past couple hours. 

The older man skillfully carried the taller boy through the doorway, without bumping any part of the pile of tears and shivers he was holding. Gently placing him on their bed, Mark pulled the towel out from underneath Tom's body and quickly dried him off, rubbing extra long over the boy's arms and legs to get him warmed up. Tom seemed to lay there docilely, baffled at the change in attitude and gentleness displayed by the older one's actions. 

Mark moved away, finding a pair of orange boxers with fish bowls on them and his starry night pajama pants for the boy to wear. The bassist seemed to move Tom's limbs as if he were a puppeteer. 

He slid the boy's legs into the appropriate holes in the underwear and tugged them up and over Tom's hips. Mark's pj pants were on moments later. Mark pulled the covers up and over Tom's placid body before pausing and rummaging through his napsack for a blue long sleeved Hurley shirt to keep Tom slightly warmer. 

Mark balled up the shirt around the head hole and placed it on top of Tom's chest while he lifted the boy to shove the shirt over the wet curling hair. Mark moved Tom's still cold fingertips through the sleeves and pulled the body of the fabric down covering Tom more and satisfying Mark enough to leave the boy be. 

Tom's eyes watched critically, studying him and attempting to determine Mark's actions as authentic or farce. Tom's warming brown eyes followed Mark's figure as he turned away, changing his own slightly damp tshirt into a dry Billabong one and dig once again into his bag. 

Tom bit his lip as he saw the pink fabric appear. He held out a hand making a grabby gesture, wanting the beloved stuffed animal near him. When Mark complied, he pulled Piggy close to his nose and inhaled deeply. 

Something stirred within him as he breathed in Mark's familiar scent. "Mark? Forget what I asked. Please. Just lay with me? I'm sleepy." 

Mark swallowed at Tom's innocent words and could only nod. He carefully climbed over the lanky body he had just clothed, and shimmied down under the covers. Tom turned and tangled his limbs with Mark's, still unsure of what had transpired that afternoon, but not wanting to stir up any unwanted thoughts of negativity. 

"Hey baby?" Mark reached to turn off the light on the bedside table. 

Tom's pulse quickened, his body instinctively squeezing tighter causing his grasp to tighten on the older man. 

The blue eyed man pushed away Tom's bangs and waited for his body to relax around him. He sighed before beginning his apology to the younger boy. 

"I know I fuck up. A lot. I wish I could control that more, and honest, I'm going to work on it. I want us to continue what we have going on after tour is over.  And..." Mark swallowed thickly before continuing. 

"I'm sorry I left you in the bathtub when you brought up, um, doing things to me. It's just something I was not prepared for and I'm not sure how I feel about it."

Tom's eyes blinked slowly, clearly thinking about something before making his comment. "What about the other day though? When we were at that venue? In the shower...you seemed to really like my hands where they were. Was that my imagination?"

The younger boy could almost feel Mark internally groaning. "I did like it... But it's different. I don't know. We can talk more about it when you're not as sleepy. Rest your body. I need to think about this whole thing some more. Alright? Just be patient with me, please?" 

Tom nodded before snuggling into Mark's warm chest. He slid an arm over Mark's waist as the older man sighed deeply and stared at the ceiling. He could already feel Tom's breaths deepening as he slipped into slumber. 

It was going to be one of those nights, Mark just knew that his mind would not be able to turn off. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Tom twisted in the sheets, eyes screwed shut as the gasps left his mouth. His legs spread eagle, stuck in his haunted dreamland, unable to wake and release himself from the fear chasing him. 

The tattooed guitarist cried out in what seemed like a pained manner, making Mark come rushing into the bedroom.

It was early morning, the clock was just about to turn 8:15. Mark reached the younger boy within earshot in record time, quickly excusing himself from the unexpected visitor that had dropped in. 

-/- Mark had been sitting at the small dinette table sipping a coffee from room service when he had heard a knock at the door. 

He was immediately on alert, nervous that some crazed fan had snuck past security and found their room at the Vegas hotel they were staying at. It had happened once before. They had two shows left before some sense of normalcy would find their way back into the boys' lives. 

Mark peered through the peephole before pulling back quickly. He was staring directly into a pair of very intimidating, glaring blue eyes. 

Mark's own blues widened as he backed up, unsure of what to do. He recognized those eyes without a doubt as belonging to none other than Tom's older brother. 

Now, Mark was older than Shon, taller than Shon and wittier than Shon. However, all it took was that signature stare and Mark felt like a little boy around the Naval Special Forces soldier. 

"Fuck." He whispered as he looked desperately around the quiet living room suite. Mark jumped as Shon again pounded on the door. 

"Wake up you assholes and let me in! I know one of you is awake. I can see the shadow through the peephole!" Shon's muffled voice came filtering through the door. 

Mark looked to his and Tom's bedroom door, then back to the one that lay between him and the stocky man. He took a deep breath before moving to unlock the door. 

The bassist tried to appear at ease with Shon's unexpected arrival, but all he could think about was what would happen if Tom woke up and couldn't act as usual due to his big brother being around. 

Shon knit his thick dark eyebrows together as Mark revealed himself from behind the heavy hotel door. It caused Mark to swallow harshly, and a nervous laughter to bubble out of the taller man. 

"You. I can't fucking believe it. You're a sick man, you know that? Taking advantage of my baby brother like that!" Shon stepped forwards, making Mark trip as he tried to quickly back away from the menacing and accusatory finger pointed at him. 

Mark's eyes went wide as he stumbled over his words trying to figure out what Shon was talking about without freaking out. 

Mark tripped on the leg of his pajama pants again and stumbled backwards, catching himself on the corner of the kitchenette countertop. 

Shon doubled over, low breathy laughter filling the stale hotel room air. "You!" The sibling gasped, pointing that same finger at Mark again, slightly bent from laughter. 

Mark froze, completely lost, feeling as though he missed out on some huge joke. The blue eyed armed forces man continued, "You should of seen the look on your fucking face! Fuck! It was like I just chopped off your dick in front of you! Damn! I wish I had a camera for that one."

Shon slapped his knee before straightening and wiping away a non-existent tear. Mark simply stood there blinking, waiting for Shon to catch his breath. 

Shon finished and looked around at the hotel furnishings. "Nice place you guys have set up here. Tom still sleeping? What're you doing up anyways?"

Mark sat back down and sipped at his coffee. After running his left hand through his hair he answered the curious man before him. "Yea, he's passed out. He's been stressing about the last few shows. I've been up for a while. Come to think of it, I don't think I slept at all. I've been pacing around since 6:30. We don't have anywhere to be till like 10:30."

Shon nodded, sitting down across from Mark. He picked up an apple from a fruit bowl and began to toss it in the air and catch it. 

He dropped the apple as he heard a cry come from the slightly open door behind Mark. The musician was up and out of sight before Shon realized his fruit was on the floor. -/-

Mark hastily pushed the door in the direction of shutting it and reached out to Tom. "Baby, baby it's okay. I'm here, I'm right here. Shhhhhhh, it's alright. You're safe. Wake up sweetheart." Mark tried to calm the tearful man in his arms. 

Mark pulled Tom into his lap as he tried with one hand to unravel the sweating boy. Tom scrambled to be soothed and comforted, still tangled in the bed sheets.

Mark had to lean in closely to hear the mumbling that left the boy's cracked lips. "Why? Alone...again. Don't like it. Afraid... No more alone. Peas Marky..." 

Mark closed his eyes as he tried rocking Tom. The younger man had curled into Mark's body, tucking his head under a stubbly chin. 

Neither man heard the quiet creaking of the bedroom door being pushed open. "Well shit. Maybe I wasn't that far off in my assumptions."

Mark silently swore as he peered up from his spot on their bed to see Shon, arms crossed and leaning against the cream colored wall. 

"The kid's still having nightmares?" Shon pushed himself off the wall and walked to the window. Throwing open the drapes, he took a deep breath and rested his hands on his wide hips. 

Mark adjusted Tom in his lap, trying to appear more friend-like and less love-like. He rotated his shoulders to look at Shon's shadow. "What do you mean by 'still'?" 

The muscled man at the window did not even bother turning around to answer Mark's question. "They started when he was probably seven, eight maybe? It was always the same thing. He got left somewhere, forgotten by Ma at the mall or by Pops at some gas station. He used to come crying into my room, late at night, practically hyperventilating from those stupid nightmares. He barely left their sides when we went anywhere."

Mark planted a quick kiss on the crown of Tom's head as he saw Shon beginning to turn. Tom had twisted the fabric of Mark's grey tshirt in his fingertips, not caring that his brother was watching the two friends. The bassist had begun to rub slow circles on Tom's back, rocking side to side slightly. 

"What made them stop?" Mark asked.

Shon shrugged, "I'm not sure they ever really did. Tom was 13 when he stopped coming to me. Prolly because I wasn't around much once I got my license. At 16 who wanted to stay at home with their family, you know?"

Mark nodded, he did the same thing at that age. Shon pushed his bottom lip out a bit as he watched the older man hold his younger step-brother. 

"Hey kiddo." Shon spoke to Tom, waiting for him to look at him before continuing. Tom wiped his nose on Mark's shirt before shifting his eyes to his big brother. He had grown taller than him, but he always listened to him when he spoke. 

"You done? You feel better?" Shon asked, cracking his knuckles. 

Tom's brown eyes, soft and sad stared at the floor. He nodded, yet did not move from Mark's lap. "Alright. Get your homo self off of Hoppus and let's grab some grub. Your treat, you big rockstar. I got nothing to do until tomorrow at noon." 

Mark let go of Tom as the sniffling boy rose and followed Shon's lead, getting ready for breakfast. 

Tom's sibling made his way into the bathroom and shut the door. As soon as the lock clicked into place Mark hustled to gather his bag and clothing from off the floor. Tom stood near the bathroom door, looking lost. 

"I'm sorry babe, I have to throw my things in the other bedroom, make it look like I've been sleeping in there. Your bro said he had nothing to do till tomorrow, he's going to want to stay here I bet." Mark scrambled across the living room and tossed his bag into the so far unused bedroom. Socks, boxers and tshirts rained down on the untouched bed. 

Mark hopped over the top of the couch on his way back to Tom. He arrived just as he heard Shon flush the toilet. "Tom, hun? Get dressed so we can go. Here." Mark handed Tom a shirt of his that he had missed in his frantic cleanup. 

Tom lifted his shirt and pulled it off, replacing it with the yellow one in Mark's hands. Stepping out of the pjs he had been wearing, he pulled up semi clean jean shorts as the bathroom door opened. 

"Alright let's go." Shon said over his shoulder as he left the bedroom. 

Mark gently squeezed Tom's left shoulder as he walked past him and slipped on some shoes in the living room. Tom followed, wiping his right eye with the back of his hand. 

Shuffling into his worn Converse, Tom didn't bother fixing the backs of his shoes. He left them bent down under the heels of his feet, making a soft scuffle noise as he moved across the carpet, following Shon. 

"Where we going? Any ideas?" Mark asked, checking to make sure he had a key card in his wallet before  closing the door behind him. 

Tom's brown eyes were focused on the floor as he rocked back and forth, hands tucked nervously inside his jean pockets. 

Shon selected the down button on the panel by the elevators and responded, "All you can eat buffet in your hotel lobby is where I'm headed. How 'bout you guys? That sound good?"

"Sure thing!" Mark laughed, gently hitting Tom on he back before continuing, "Tommy here's a growing boy! He needs all the food he can get, right bab-" 

Mark was cut off by a violent coughing storm from Tom,  eyes wide and unbelieving that Mark nearly spilt the beans. 

Shon squinted his eyes at the two men. Both had taken on a slightly rosie color in their faces. He kept quiet as the three men stepped on the elevator and the doors closed. 

The older brother crossed his arms and leaned against the metal walls, pressing the lobby floor button and watched Mark and Tom. Tom was frowning down at Mark who was busy trying to avoid the glares from the younger man. 

Once reaching the main floor, Shon waited for the two band mates to lead the way before he followed not far whined. 

Arriving at the restaurant, they chose a table, put their folded card up, showing that it was taken and began to walk to the buffets. Mark stepped to the side before holding out his arm to let Tom pass him. Shon caught his eye and raised an eyebrow. 

Mark turned dark red. 

A small smile appeared on Shon's face and Mark nervously awaited the questions but they never came. This made Mark even more nervous. 

Tom had grabbed his plate and turned with an alarmed look on his face when he did not see Mark near him. Shon grabbed a ceramic dish and shoulder bumped his younger brother. "Relax kiddo, your boyfriend is right behind ya." 

The older man moved right along as he started with the pancakes at the buffet. Tom's mouth hung open slightly, turning to see Mark with an identical expression. 

"I didn't say anything to him! He's probably just saying that to tease you. He doesn't know. It's a joke." Mark tried to convince the younger man. 

Tom frowned and followed Mark around, taking little bits of food when Mark told him to. The two men headed back to their table, passing a stack of fruit on their way. Mark balanced his plate and silverware before grabbing for two clementines. 

The pile of fruit shifted, startling Mark as he frantically grabbed for the pyramid to stop from falling onto the floor. An annoyed waitress came up and shooed him away, gaining a giggle from Tom who had been watching. 

"Don't laugh at me," Mark protested, a small grin wanting to slip onto his face, "I did that for you! You and your freaking orange flavored fruit things." 

Tom shyly thanked him and sat down at the table, across from his brother. He scooted over in the booth, settling in before he noticed with a frown what was in his plastic cup. 

Mark sat next to the guitarist, tucking one foot underneath him. Mark also noticed the orange liquid in  his boyfriend's cup and turned quickly to catch a passing waitress. "Excuse me," Mark politely said, smiling at the young girl. "Could he get a glass of grape juice, please?" 

"Absolutely, anything else for you guys?" The perky girl asked.

All three shook their heads and the waitress let them be. Shon immediately began questioning them once the girl was out of earshot. 

"What's the deal? You don't like OJ? Since when? You drank that stuff by the gallons as a kid. And since when does Mark order things for you like you're his girlfriend." 

Tom stuffed a mouthful of pancakes into his mouth and chewed rapidly. Mark had frozen with his own juice cup in his hands. The waitress dropped off the purple juice and left them alone again. 

With Tom's panicked chomping on pancakes, Mark felt he was obligated to answer Tom's step-brother.

"Um, well, I-I-I just know he doesn't like it anymore cause he had too many screwdrivers over one summer and it makes him sick. I don't know why I ordered it for him, I just happened to catch the waitress' eye and said it. It's not a big deal. He just-uh... Yea." Mark flushed before shutting up, not wanting to dig himself into a deeper hole. 

Shon munched on a piece of bacon and nonchalantly said, "You guys are so dating. Give it up. I noticed Mark's things were all over the bed you were sleeping in," the big brother nodded to his sibling and continued, "I go take a piss and suddenly they're not there? Then you're more close to him than usual and you were clinging to him after your nightmare. I heard him give you a kiss." Shon watched closely for Tom's reaction. 

Mark had swallowed wrong and was coughing as Tom froze with pancakes stuffed into his mouth, face turning bright red. He swallowed the food and looked to Mark, unsure of what to do. Mark's blues caught Tom's browns and nodded, signaling it was okay to be honest. 

Shon egged Tom on a bit more, "C'mon, the cat is out of the bag, spill the beans, let's go! Out with it." 

Tom fiddled with his jeans, sliding a hand over to Mark's pockets. "Don't tell Ma." He whispered.

Shon began to laugh, confusion written all over the other men's faces. "Dude, Mom already knows. Her and Kari and I take bets every holiday to see if you'll admit it yet. I always win because I know you're too blind to see it. Didn't know it would be with Hoppus though. Never pegged him as being gay, we all just thought he put up with your shenanigans."

Tom brought his hands up to cover his face. "Fuck."

Mark, nervously reached an arm out to give Tom a half hug. He was shocked when the younger man jerked away and shook his boyfriend's comforting arm off his shoulder. 

"Move, move! I have to, I don't want to be here right now." Tom pushed at Mark to get out of the booth. 

"Key, give me the key!" Tom was starting to panic. Mark, dumbfounded, pulled out his wallet and handed the hotel room key to the boy and watched as he ran out of the buffet restaurant and away from Mark. 

"What the fuck?" The bassist whispered to himself, shocked that Tom would willingly leave his side. When Tom was out of sight, he snapped out of his daze and pulled out his phone. 

Beginning a message to Travis, he began to text, 'Dude can you make sure Tom's ok? He's headed up to the room. Shon showed up, figured out me and Tom. Tom Freaked and ran from us. Please?'

Mark swallowed thickly and looked up at Shon who had a cocky smile on his face, still chewing on bacon. Mark's hands shook as he placed his cell face down on the table and reached for his orange juice. 

Mark's eyes flickered to Shon's, the bassist could feel he intense eyes on him. "What?" Mark asked defiantly, "Do you have a problem with us being together?"

Shon chuckled and swallowed some of his juice. He began to shake his head. "Nah, I just like giving my baby brother a hard time with things. You two were destined to be together. Just don't fuck him while I'm here. I'm going to pretend that he's still a virgin in that area."

Before Mark could even think, his mouth began to retort, "Who said I'm the one that fucks him?" 

Shon choked on his juice, eyes watering as he tried to regain his breathing. "Fuck Hoppus. I don't- that's too. Ugh please, I really don't want that image in my head."

Mark pursed his lips, a low blush creeping up onto his cheeks. He was distracted when his phone began to buzz. The blue eyed singer reached for it to see who it was. Travis was calling him. 

"Yo what's up dude?" Mark answered the phone as calmly as possible.

"What the fuck- Tom! Shit no, don't touch, dammit Tom! Mark," Travis began to speak to him again, "You need to get up here. He's like fuckin- Tom! Put that down, you break that and I will break your neck! He's having a massive panic attack slash tantrum up here. He's destroying the place. I- God dammit, Thomas! That's it. Mark get up here, I have to restrain this kid. Why the fuck is he reacting this way?!" 

Mark swore silently and looked at Shon before answering. "It's like how he used to get when he was living with his folks and they were getting divorced. It hasn't happened in a while. I'm on my way up." 

Mark heard glass shattering and the phone went dead. "We got to split." He said to Shon. Grabbing the waitress' attention, Mark tried to smile at her. "Hey I know you guys normally can't do this, but my friend got sick? The one with the grape juice? I just wanted to bring him the juice so he'll have some fluids. Anyway I can get this to-go?" 

The waitress looked around, probably for management Mark thought, before nodding with a small smile and leaving the table. Moments later she dropped off an empty to-go cup and lid, straw on the side with a small folded piece of paper. 

The blue eyed musician thanked her and began to pour Tom's juice in the wax covered paper cup. Standing, he picked the to-go cup up and reached for the straw. He opened the small folded paper and chuckled as he looked at the eleven digits on it. He tossed the paper to Shon and said, "Let's go." 

Shon opened the paper before shouting, "Sweet! Thanks man!" and followed Mark through the busy restaurant. 

Mark nervously tapped his toes while waiting for the elevator and continued once the two men were in the elevator. 

"I won't tell anyone, on my naval honor." Shon said, his sincerity shining through his blue-green eyes. 

Mark nodded, accepting his word as he gnawed on his bottom lip. After leaving the elevator, the two men reached the doorway before Mark realized something. 

"Shit I gave Tom my key." Mark ran his hands through his hair before turning, pacing in the hallway. He bit his lip as he heard a crash from behind the door. "Fuck!" He ran down the hallway four doors and knocked rapidly. 

The door opened with a surprised Steve. "Mark? What's up. I'm not supposed to see your face for another two hours." 

The bassist quickly asked for a spare key, spurting out everyone was sleeping but he had gotten a craving for grape juice and ran out without his key. The tall man raised the cup of juice as if he needed to prove himself. 

Steve chuckled and shook his head, disappearing before reappearing with a spare key card. Mark thanked him and ran back down the hall.   

Opening the heavy hotel door, Mark frowned at the sight in front of him and Shon. The coffee tables and kitchen table had been overturned, a mirror smashed and various items of theirs had been tossed about the living room suite. 

Travis lay sprawled on his back, arms wrapped around Tom's armpits and gripping him on the back of his head, rendering him motionless for the most part. Travis had to wrap his legs and straighten his knees so that the drummer had pinned the guitarist immobile. 

Mark slowly moved forward as he caught Tom's eyes. The younger boy began to thrash about, grunting and cursing at Travis. 

Travis had had it with Tom's behavior though and began to give it right back to the restrained boy. "Absolutely fucking not, you little shit. You come up here pissed off at the world and think that you're justified for breaking shit? You are out of your fucking mind. You need to stop," Travis paused, gripping Tom tighter. "and relax."

The tallest boy looked over at his boyfriend, then to his brother. He began to take deep breaths and closed his eyes. Travis slowly loosened his grip on the boy, feeling the younger one's anger melt away. 

The drummer let go and sat up, letting him stay on the floor in a puddle of his own emotions. Travis wiped at his face, and stood, moving towards Shon and Mark. The three men stared at Tom, the boy crawling into a ball and hiding his face. 

Travis greeted Shon quietly, fist bumping and giving a half hug-handshake. Mark looked at the clock in the kitchen and took a deep breath. 

"Can you guys give us a little bit?" Travis nodded and parted ways, mentioning he would go grab breakfast real quick and be back. Shon took longer to agree, watching his brother crumpled on the floor. Mark spoke to him. "He's freaked over you knowing. He won't let me go near him if he knows you're watching." 

Shon frowned and grabbed his overnight bag he had brought with him. "I'm gonna shower real quick then. Can I use your spare rooms bathroom?" 

Mark nodded and was finally left with Tom's balled figure. 

Slowly, as if the boy was a skittish animal, the bassist made his way over to Tom. Sitting down next to the curled up kid, Mark spoke softly to him. "Baby? Hey, baby, shhhhh, it's okay. Come here. It's just you and me." 

Tom quickly crawled away from Mark before realizing what his boyfriend had said and retreating into the older man's safe arms. 

"Baby." Mark kissed the top of his head before wrapping his arms tightly around Tom. "I've got you. Listen to me. Shon's not going to say a word. Relax. He was teasing you before." Mark pressed more kisses into Tom's face before holding the boy's head against his neck. 

Mark rocked the boy until he felt the shaking stop almost completely. "It's alright, Tom. Everything's alright." 

Tom sniffled and looked into Mark's eyes. The face before him was heartbreaking. "Um, I'm sorry for freaking out. I...I should have stayed with you instead of running." 

Mark nodded in understanding. "I know, you panicked with Shon being there. It just surprised me that you didn't want me near you..." 

Tom sighed, "I know, I... I was stupid. Normally you can calm me down, I'm not sure why I ran. I just hated Shon staring at me, I felt like I was disappointing him and then he brought up Mom and Kari and I just needed to escape." 

"It's okay, Tom." Mark reassured him, "Nothing's going to change okay? We're going to get you cleaned up, check in with Steve and then maybe take a nap before we have to be at the venue. Two more shows and you and I will have normal days." 

Tom tucked his head under Mark's chin as he listened to the older man tell him how nice it will be once they were off tour. 

"...And then it'll be just you and me in our apartment." Tom perked up at this statement.

"Our apartment? You mean...really?" As Tom got excited he bounced a little in Mark's lap. Mark grinned and nodded. "Wait," Tom paused. "Which place? Yours or mine?"

Mark's grin broadened and he kissed the tip of Tom's nose. "Yours. Mine doesn't allow pets." 

Tom's eyes grew, "Pets?! Mine? Are we going to get a puppy?!" Mark laughed and kissed Tom's nose again. 

This time though, a sound of disgust reached both boys ears. Shon had appeared in the doorway, towel wrapped around his bare waist. "Please, no lovey dovey shit in front of me. I want to keep my breakfast down." 

Tom's face burned as he hid his face in Mark's shoulders. "You calmed down, kiddo?" 

Tom groaned at the nickname. "Yes! I'm fine. I feel better." 

"Good, because you've got a fucking mess to clean up." Shon turned around and closed the bedroom door to get dressed. 

Tom frowned and looked around at the destroyed living room. "Crap." 

Mark pulled him to his feet and patted Tom on the back, "I'll help you, never fear." 

Tom thanked him and asked how he could repay him. Mark grinned evilly and said in a low voice, "Pay me back when we get to our home. I want you to touch me..." 

Mark leaned into Tom's ear to finish his sentence. "Fuck. Okay." Tom replied and turned a dark red color. 

How would he last through two more days? Tom had a feeling Mark would not make it easy. 

Mark licked up the side of Tom's neck and bit gently on his earlobe. Shon cleared his throat and stared at the floor near the two boys. 

"So um, Mark brought your grape juice." Shon pointed to the cup that had been abandoned on the kitchen counter. 

Tom looked at the straw then at Mark. He smiled a tight secretive smile, two can play at that game. 

Mark followed his boyfriend's line of eyesight and gulped. It was going to be a long two days.


	22. Chapter 22

"Yea, I'd like to leave a message. Yes, I would like to put in my two month notice of moving out. Okay. Yea I can put it in writing. Can I fax it to you?" Mark cradled the phone in his shoulder, scrambling to find a pen in the nightstand. 

Writing down the number he was given by his landlord on his hand, Mark thanked him and hung up. 

He sighed happily and looked at the sleeping boy next to him. Running his fingers lightly over the boy's head, Mark began to rouse the guitarist. 

"Tommy, time to wake up. We have that signing at the record place down the street before our show tonight." 

Mark rubbed Tom's back again before smiling and standing up to get ready. Rummaging through his bag, he pulled out clean shorts and a long sleeved Hurley shirt. 

"Oh laundry...how I hate you." Mark mumbled to himself as he pushed aside a package of Sour Patch Kids. 

Tom, hearing the rustling, picked up his head from the bed they had shared the night before. Turning under the covers, Tom rubbed his left eye, using the other one to look at Mark. 

"Whats that?"

Mark stopped digging in his bag to look back at his boyfriend. "You won't pick your head up when I be all nice and sweet gently waking you, but you will for a candy bag?"

He grinned at Tom's sheepish smile. Mark bit his lip and put his clothing down, crawling up the bed from the bottom. He smiled as he reached Tom, who had laid back down upon seeing the older man's approach. 

Bright brown eyes shined up at Mark, gleaming with excitement and adoration. Leaning his body over the guitarist, Mark braced his weight on both hands that were on either side of Tom's broad, bare shoulders. 

Tom reached his hand up, lightly tracing Mark's cheek and trailed it over his chin, feeling a light stubble. Mark smiled lovingly, leaning into Tom's gentle touch. When the pads of Tom's fingers reached below his chin, Mark moved his head slightly to leave a small kiss on the younger one's fingers. 

Tom bit back a smile, moving his hands to run over Mark's bare back. The bassist lowered his head, bending his arms and slowly collided his lips against Tom's. Mark let his tongue slip into Tom's warm mouth before picking his head back up and pecking a few kisses onto the other man's lips. 

Tom giggled before biting his lip again, pulling the silver ring into his mouth and looked at Mark with questioning eyes. 

"What?" Mark asked, pushing himself up into his hands again. 

"Can I have it?" 

Mark smiles, tilts his head and clarifies. "Have what, Baby?"

Tom grins even wider before looking around Mark to the abandoned bag on the floor. "The candies!" He explained, eyes twinkling as he brought his eyes back up to Mark's face. 

The younger boy's eyes widened as he saw the upset look cross the bassist's face. Tom gave a small frown as unexpected words fell from Mark's mouth, "Are you fucking kidding me?" 

Dropping his eyes, Tom's chin began to shake, uneasiness settling over his body. "Sorry." He whispered, feeling unsure about what he was apologizing for.

Stinging behind his eyes made Tom want to close them, a flush rolling over his cheeks. The guitarist tried to take small shallow breaths to calm himself down, embarrassed over how easily he felt like crying.

Seconds after Tom let his eyelids close, he felt Mark lean in close, pressing their noses and foreheads together. "Baby, open your pretty eyes." Mark whispered, speaking gently to his boyfriend. 

"No." The other man replied, pouting as Mark tried to make amends. Kisses were planted over the surface of Tom's face. 

"Baby," Mark began, "I just thought you were asking if you could have...me." He paused towards the end of his sentence, giving Tom a kiss on his frowning lips. 

"Come on, don't be a grump. I just was thinking of other things. We were all kissy faces and then you wanted candy. You don't even like that kind of candy." Mark barely had a breath in between him finishing before Tom was protesting.

"I do too like that candy!" Tom blinked up at Mark's unimpressed face. 

"What kind of candy is it then?" Mark questioned with doubt. 

"Skit-" Tom began but was quickly stopped by Mark. 

"Nope. Wrong. Sour Patch Kids. You haven't ever even tried them." Mark laughed as Tom frowned and threw his right fist into the sheets. 

"You don't know that! I like them! I love them more than Skittles." Tom tried to wiggle away from Mark's body, still looming over him. Tom scooted to the bottom of the bed while Mark watched with smiling eyes as the younger man scrambled to get to the yellow and green bag. 

Tearing open the package as he sat back on the bed, tiny white granules of sour sugar sprinkled over the hotel comforter. Tom looked up at Mark, surprised the candy had exploded around him. Mark bit back a smile, waiting for the shocked look to appear on Tom's face at the sour taste. 

Tom dug through the bag until he found an orange sour gummy. He looked back at Mark and placed the candy into his mouth. 

The singer's face quickly twisted up in strained expression. Knowing that Mark was watching closely, Tom attempted to keep a straight face after his initial taste. 

"Still like them, sweetie?" Mark asked, batting his eyelashes at the younger man. 

"Love them. My new fav, sugar butt." Tom said with a bored expression. 

Mark laughed full heartedly at Tom's term of endearment. He crawled off the bed, bending quickly to give Tom a tight hug and moved to grab his clothes again. 

"Let's get some breakfast. Get moving, sugar butt. Or I'll send Shon in here to get you up." Mark said, walking to the bathroom door.

"I'd rather have you get me up." 

Mark turned, squinting his eyes to send a glare to Tom. "I already tried. That ship has sailed, love bug. You better be up by the time I finish or else I'm sending in reinforcements." 

Mark laughed at Tom's whine and reached for a towel on the shelf in he bathroom. He went back to the doorway as he heard the small candy bag being touched again. 

"Thomas, no candy until after breakfast!" Mark raised his eyebrows expectantly and rolled his eyes when Tom flung himself onto the queen sized bed and flailed about dramatically. 

"Big baby." He mumbled to himself as he turned on the shower water.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Mark hummed to himself as he dried his body off with the fluffy white hotel towel. Wiggling his toes, he wrapped the terry cloth around his waist and tucked in the edge against his left hip. 

As Mark entered the bedroom, he smiled. Laying on top of the covers face down was Tom, arms tucked beneath his stomach. His eyes were closed and his head was facing Mark's direction. 

Mark moved closer and bit his lip watching Tom sleep. His left cheek was pushed up and out due to the side of his face being on the bed. The squished cheek caused Tom's lips to pucker and open slightly. 

The older man just stood at the corner of the boy's bed, feeling his heart swell at the sight before him. That is, until he saw the now empty Sour Patch Kids wrapper sticking out from underneath Tom's sock covered feet. 

Mark exhaled slowly and turned to walk through Blink-182's suite. Knocking on Shon's door, he waited for Tom's sibling to open the white wood. 

Shon opened the door and immediately shut it, pressing the small golden circle in the center of the door handle. Mark heard the lock click into place and leaned in close to listen to the marine shout through the door. 

"I am not like Tom, Mark. Please go put some clothes on before you ask me to do sexual favors for you."

Mark laughed and knocked again saying, "Open up Shon, I need you to go take revenge on your baby brother for me." 

Mark stepped back as the door quickly swung open.

"What's this revenge you speak of, Hoppus?" Shon questioned. 

"He wouldn't wake up when I told him to, instead ate an entire bag of candy after I said we were going to breakfast and then fell back asleep. Little brat didn't listen to a word I said. So how bout you decide on a way to wake him up." Mark crossed his arms over his chest and moved to the side as the man before him ran over across the living room. 

Shon paused in the doorway and looked about the two rooms he was standing between, giving Mark time to catch up to him.

"I have your permission to do anything?" Shon asked with a devilish smile.

"Permission granted, my friend, permission granted." Mark leaned on the doorframe as Shon crept closer to the snoozing boy. 

A fleeting moment of regret fell over Mark as he looked at Tom's still sleeping form. In his sleep, Tom had pulled his knees up, tucking his hands further down his body. The movement had also caused Tom's pajama clad butt to protrude in the air a little. "So cute." Mark whispered to himself. 

Shon moved about the room collecting supplies for the surprise wake up. In his arms he was holding an empty ice bucket from Mark and Tom's room, a couple of firecrackers he had pulled from within his pockets and a lighter of Mark's he had snagged from the bedside table. Moving past Mark into the shared living room, Shon came across a small travel sized bag of gymnast chalk Travis sometimes used for his drumsticks. 

Mark hesitated, wondering if he should stop Shon from the path he was traveling down. "Um, I'm not sure this is the best idea now, Shon..." The bassist trailed off, watching the marine enter the bathroom then exit with a the ice bucket filled with water. 

"Nonsense. Watch this." Shon brushed off. He placed the bag of chalk on the bedside table alongside the ice bucket. Flicking on the lighter, he lit two firecrackers and tossed them into the air. 

The crackling noise jolted Tom awake. He panicked, bouncing around on the bed trying to make sense of what was happening. When Tom turned towards his step-brother, Shon threw the bucket of water at the confused boy's face and quickly pelted him with the fine white chalk dust. 

Mark's hand flew up to cover his jaw dropped mouth as soon as Shon had lit the firecrackers. He stood motionless as Tom sat in the middle of the bed, chest heaving, still extremely startled as he tried to calm himself down. 

Shon was entirely thrilled with his successful mission and had run out of the room with a maniacal laugh. 

Tom looked around the room, unsure of what had just transpired. "Am...am I-I-I dreaming?" Tom stuttered, chalk covered face falling upon Mark. 

When the young boy's white eyelids blinked up at Mark's frozen expression, the reality of what had just happened came to a head. Tracks began to make their way down Tom's face, the hot tears washing away the chalk, showing very obviously that the guitarist was upset. 

Mark took a step towards the taller man, holding back a smile as Tom surged forwards letting himself be comforted in the older man's arms. 

The closer Mark pulled Tom into him, the more worked up the boy got. Soon, Mark was rubbing circles on Tom's bare back, hot chalky wet tears were sliding down his neck and over his clean smelling chest. Mark closed his eyes, guilt consuming him as he held Tom through his gasping sobs. 

"It's alright, babe. Shhh, it's alright. You're okay. Don't be scared babe. Shon was messing with you, it's all my fault. I'm sorry baby boy." Mark got quieter as he admitted fault. 

Tom pulled back as the words sunk into him. The confusion and pain evident on the upset boy's face was enough to twist and churn Mark's stomach. 

"What do you mean? Your fault? Don't... You... I-I-I..." Tom broke, scooting back away from Mark. 

The bassist knew he would react like this, and really should have let Tom be. Let him get his tears out so that they could move on. He should have just kept his mouth shut and let Tom calm down. 

"What the fuck Mark?! Why would you... Firecrackers? And I'm all wet... And cold." Tom's bottom lip fell forwards, the small metal hoop bounced as his mouth trembled. 

Tom frowned and lunged at Mark, balled up fists hitting the older man all over from the top of his shoulders to the bottom of his waist. Tom continued to hit Mark, his strength slowly faultering. 

Mark braced himself as he felt his boyfriend's angered fists hit him. Even his hardest punches were not even enough to leave a bruise on the bassist. When Tom had finished he scooped the boy up into his arms and carried him bridal style into the bathroom. 

The shorter man spoke quietly and near the boy's gauged ear so that Tom could hear him. "It's my fault because I asked Shon to wake you up. I should have stopped him when I saw what he was planning. I'm going to clean you up then take you out for a quick breakfast. We have to go to that signing at the record shop soon." 

Mark let Tom's feet touch the ground and let go to turn on the shower. He reached out a hand to let the water run over his fingers, feeling the temperature. Satisfied with it, he turned to Tom who had moved to see in the mirror above the sink counter. 

Tom was trying to wipe away the now drying chalk muck on his face. He watched as Mark came up from behind him and rested his chin on the taller man's shoulder. 

"Mark?" Tom asked with a soft voice.

Blue eyes met brown. Arms wrapped around the dirty waist of Tom. "Yes, love bug?" 

Tom frowned playfully at the too cute name. "When we have breakfast can I have a double chocolate chip muffin?"

Mark squeezed his arms tight around Tom before answering the younger boy. "Absolutely."

Mark unwrapped his towel and let it drop, turning and stepping into the shower. Leaving the curtain open, he motioned for Tom to follow. As Tom pulled down his pajama pants, Mark picked up the washcloth he had used for his own shower and began to run it under the water to warm it up again. 

The older man heard the shower curtain close. Turning around, Mark moved closer to Tom and began to scrub at the taller man's dirty face. 

Mark made conversation with the singer as he washed away the visible reminders of Mark's guilty heart. "So did you sleep well last night? I didn't wake up at all, did you?" 

Tom pulled his face away from Mark's moving hands and whined, "No, but ouchies Mark. You're going to rub my face off!" 

It was only then that the older man noticed the slightly pink skin before him. Smiling, Mark whispered an apology and gently pulled Tom's arms forwards. 

Mark hugged the younger man and stepped back into the warm spray. The blue eyed singer wrapped his long arms around the other one's waist and slowly twisted his body back and forth, alternating which body the shower water hit. 

"Mark?" 

Closing his eyes, Mark sighed a little at the innocent tone in Tom's voice. "Yea, baby?" He responded.

"I love you. More than Sour Patch Kids and Skittles." Tom pressed a wet kiss into Mark's neck, where his lips were touching. 

Mark pulled away a little, making the brown eyed boy tilt his head from where it had been resting on Mark's shoulder, and looked deep into the dark orbs. 

"I love you, too. More than you'll ever know." Mark paused, thinking for a moment before continuing to admit, "For a long time now I have. I think it was the moment I met you. You had this quirky personality that I just practically drowned in." 

Mark blushed and got quiet. The lanky guitarist smiled and lowered his head again, resting his mouth at the base of Mark's neck. 

The older man squeezed Tom's waist before letting go and reaching for the small hotel bottle of shampoo. "I can't wait till we get back home and can use the good shit. This stuff dries out my hair." 

Tom giggled as Mark poured a small amount of the clear shampoo into his hands. Placing the white bottle back on the edge of the porcelain tub. 

"No giggling. Giggling is for girls." Mark stated with a straight face, running his hands through Tom's dirty hair, creating bubbles. He dug his fingernails around the dark brown hair, earning a gentle purr from the guitarist. 

Rubbing the taller boy's head so that all the chalk gunk was gone, Mark brushed the hair away from Tom's forehead and switched places with the boy so that the water was spraying onto his back. 

Tom tilted his head back, letting the warm water wash away the shampoo. Once he felt the bubbles turn to clear water, he straightened his body and shook his head. Mark squawked as water droplets pelted him, the water quickly loosing it's heat as it hit Mark's damp skin. 

The noise caused the brown eyed boy to break out into another fit of giggles. Mark huffed, trying to seem annoyed by the other's reaction, but really enjoyed hearing it echo throughout the bathroom. 

"Why the fuck are the two of you in the shower together!? You two better not be doing the nasty in there!" Shon's voice rang, interrupting the younger boy's laughter.

Tom's eyes became wide, looking to Mark with a helpless stare. Mark mouthed the words, "Relax, Tom."

Mark opened the shower curtain and stuck his head out, glaring at the sibling. "Excuse moi, por favor. Get lost. I'm having some private time with my boyfriend so unless you want to hear- Oh god. Fuck, Tom. Shit!" Mark mumbled, leaning back against the back of the shower. 

Ton quirked his head to the side, a slow smile spreading across his face as he caught wind of what Mark was trying to do. 

The young brown eyed man followed Mark's lead and opened his mouth, letting out a gagging noise. Sticking one finger into his mouth, he created a loud popping noise as he pulled the digit back out of his mouth. 

"Oh God, Mark, your cock tastes so fucking good. Does mine taste that way?" Tom, loud and breathy. He quickly squatted down low so when he reached an arm into Shon's line of eyesight, it would appear to his brother that he was in the middle of giving Mark a blow job. 

Mark looked over at Shon. The other man's eyes were wide and frozen. The bassist wiggled his fingers at the still man and closed the shower curtain. 

Seeing the white cloth cover his line of sight, it awoke him from his shock of finding Mark with his brother. 

Behind the shower curtain the two men began kissing. A moan slipping out from Tom was the last sound Shon heard before he ran from the bathroom, the door slamming closed loudly behind him. 

Tom kept his lips on Mark's after he heard Shon leave, once again the thought of the tour soon ending was running through his mind. He pushed Mark against the cold tiles and looked his to his eyes, breathing heavily. "Promise me something." The younger man said, trying to keep the desperateness he was feeling out of his voice. 

Tom gave Mark another small kiss, on the corner of his lips, while he waited for Mark to respond. Sensing that something serious was running through his boyfriend's mind, the shorter man nodded for Tom to continue. 

"Promise me that even though it's over tomorrow, that we won't be too. I'm... I'm..." Tom broke off, his voice cracking ever so slightly. Mark waited, reaching out to entwine their fingers, silently showing his support. 

"I'm not sure I could do this without you. You are m-my rock. My moon, with out y-you everything within me is all out of whack. I can't keep the f-fear at bay." 

Mark smiled and pulled Tom in for a hug, the younger boy clinging to him like there was no tomorrow. The water was still running in the background, but all Tom could hear was the steady methodical beating of Mark's heart. 

"I got you. I will be with you through forever. No bad dreams, no loneliness, no fears. Okay?" Mark spoke simply to Tom, knowing the other one's mind had ten different things going on at once. Tom nodded and pulled his lip ring into his mouth. 

Mark leaned forwards and pressed a kiss into Tom's right cheek. Leaning past him, he reached out to turn the shower off. Trying to lighten the situation, Mark stepped out of the shower and quickly made his way to the neatly folded stack of towels. He unwrapped one and threw it over his shoulders before grabbing another one and shook it open, turning to wrap it around Tom. 

Tom was still standing in the bathtub, arms folded tightly over his chest as he shivered. Mark placed the towel over Tom's shoulders and rubbed, warming up Tom slightly. "Let's get a move on so we can get some grub, sound good? We've got to be back here in a little over an hour to get to the record store." 

Mark wrapped his towel around his waist and moved to the door. Tom followed quickly at his heels, holding the towel around his own waist. 

The two dressed somewhat silently, Mark watching Tom with a light happy smile. Tom was having a bit of an issue with his clothing. 

"Mark, I can't find any socks! Where did they all go? I swear I just had some in here. They were black, have you seen them?" Tom lifted his wet head, looking at Mark. 

The older man was laying on the clean part of the bed, tossing Piggy into the air and catching the small stuffed toy. His feet were hanging off the edge, bouncing slightly. Mark didn't say anything. 

Tom grew frustrated until he focused on the movement of Mark. "Hey! Fucker, those are my socks aren't they?!" 

Mark smiled and nuzzled he soft pink cloth. "I reserve the right to claim any article of your clothing as mine, as I need it, due to the simple fact that you wore my clothes for the majority of this tour."

Tom stomped his foot. "Mark! I need socks though..." He paused and pouted, standing closer to the laying man. "I can't wear shoes without socks, it's gross. It feels weird and dammit Mark, don't laugh at me!"

Mark sat up and laughed a bit more before suggesting, "Go ask Shon or Travis if you can borrow some of theirs. I'm running low on laundry. My shoes are already on, I'm not taking them off." 

Tom sighed dramatically. "No, I can't! I don't like Trav's socks, they don't feel right. And Shon probably hasn't washed his in months. Please M-mark, I n-need my s-socks b-back!" His stuttering caused him to close his mouth, a light red color washing over his face. 

Mark stared at Tom. "Are you fucking kidding me? Are you really getting upset because I took your socks? They're fucking socks Tom, you're stuttering because of socks." 

Tom looked at his bare toes and stayed quiet. He felt foolish, wishing he could just ignore his aversion to being sockless in shoes. He turned around and began to quietly dig in his bag, hoping a pair would appear. 

A few moments passed before Tom felt Mark sit down criss-cross next to him. Tom wiped at his eyes and quickly looked over to see what the older man was holding out to him. 

Two ankle length black socks were neatly stacked on Mark's hand. "Here. I don't want you being upset and crying over socks." 

Tom took the socks and shoved his feet into them. As he did so, he spoke to Mark. "I wasn't crying over socks, I was crying over the fact that I'm such an emotional train wreck that I can't control anything anymore. I'm weird, I can't wear shoes without socks, ok. My rationality for getting upset and just dealing with it is just non-existent!" 

Pulling on his shoes, he took Mark's outstretched hand which pulled him to his feet. "Baby," Mark began, "I still love you, whether you have socks on or not. Now, let's go get you that muffin, okay?"

Tom ran his fingers through his hair once before following Mark through the hotel suite and to the door. Mark shouted out to Travis letting him know where they were headed. 

Opening the door and holding it open, Tom ran back inside, shouting over his shoulder he was getting a jacket. Mark took this time to check and make sure he had the room key and cash for breakfast. 

Tom was back moments later, zipping up Mark's tan jacket. Raising his brown eyes to meet Mark's, he grinned widely and shrugged. Mark smiled and threw an arm over the taller boy's shoulders. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Mark stood in line at the small coffee shop and watched Tom make his way around the store, looking at various coffee related gifts on the shelves. Mark took a step closer to the front of the line as people were served.

"Tom!" He called, "Come pick out what you want." 

Tom was at his side in a wink of an eye, looking into the glass case that held an assortment of baked goods. His eyes glanced over the colorful danishes and turnovers. He stopped for a moment on the cinnamon sticks and cinnamon buns and continued to look at the large cookies and brownies. The lemon and apple squares looked scrumptious as did the freshly iced coffee cakes. Tom squatted down near the floor as he reached the shelves that held the muffins. He knew which one he wanted but felt the need to make sure nothing else sounded better. "Apple, cran-orange, lemon poppy, blueberry, honey bran, pistachio, almond, chocolate chip, banana, zucchini, pumpkin, chocolate chocolate chip."

He stood and tugged at Mark's sleeve, pulling the older man's attention away from the girl at the counter he was ordering from. "Marky," Tom whispered, leaning into Mark's ear, "I want a chocolate chocolate chip muffin. Please." Mark nodded and repeated Tom's request to the young girl. 

She smiled and rang in the order to the register. "So that was a large hot dark roast coffee cream only, an elephant ear, a small iced French vanilla coffee with cream and sugar, and a double chocolate muffin. That will be $6.75." 

Mark pulled out his wallet and handed her a ten. Tom noticed something had fallen from Mark's wallet and reached down to pick it up. It was a piece of paper, folded. 

Mark received his change and moved to the next counter to wait for his and Tom's breakfast. Tom stayed in front of the baked goods display as he opened the worn piece of paper carefully.

Tom was surprised to find that it was his own handwriting on the folded index card. 'I thinking I'm falling hard for you. I love it.' A small smile appeared on his face as he thought back to his younger self that had written the love note. He had been so drunk.

-/- "Mark! I'm so drunk Mark!" Tom fell onto the floor of his new friend's bedroom. 

They had met a week before on the sidewalk in front of Tom's house. Ann had introduced them. Same day Mark tried to impress the skinny 15 1/2 year old by climbing a light pole and proceeding to jump down from the top.

They really became close as they sat in the emergency room together waiting for a doctor to take a look at Mark's right foot, talking about everything under the sun. 

So a week later, Mark was hobbling around with a boot on, drunk as a skunk with Tom.

They didn't have to worry about being loud, Mark's mom was working the overnight at her job and Anne was at a friend's house. 

Mark hopped over to his bed and lay back on it, lifting both feet onto the summer comforter. He lay there quietly, looking at his ceiling. There was some paint chipping on a spot that Mark had dented when he was practicing his jumping and spinning while playing bass last winter. 

Tom suddenly sat up, "Mark?! Mark where'd you go?" The young teen looked around the room and quickly crawled to the bed when he saw that Mark had propped himself up and was laughing at Tom. 

Tom crawled over Mark to lay next to him. He giggled slightly then settled down and Tom, who had drunk far more than Mark, looked over at the older teen and stared. 

"Is this okay?" The brown eyed teen asked, hesitantly sounding a bit sober. 

"What? You laying here next to me?" Mark questioned. Upon receiving a nod, Mark answered, "Yea sure. I don't mind, I mean, you're my best friend."

Tom smiled and felt something resembling butterflies in his stomach at being called a best friend, but it could have just been the vodka and rum he had consumed.

Mark continued to babble, the liquor having loosened his tongue. "I know we just met and everything but seriously. No one has to same humor as me. No one gets my jokes and laughs with me as much as you do. You're really rad, Tom."

Tom grinned and returned the compliment, "You're pretty awesome yourself. I'm stoked that you'll be able to buy us our own alcohol in two years."

They continued to talk for about 45 more minutes when Tom noticed Mark had been quiet for a few minutes and looked over at his friend. Mark's eyes were closed peacefully, facing towards Tom. Slowly his chest rose and lowered, signally he was deep asleep. 

Tom, still wide awake crawled over Mark to stretch. He stood in front of his friend's desk and looked down at it. Index cards were scattered over the desk, indicating Mark had been studying for summer course he had just finished up at the local community college. 

Tom looked back at Mark then down to the desk again. With a smile, he took one, and picking up a blue pen, began to scrawl a message across it. Tom bit his lip and folded the 3x5 card in half.

Holding it, he looked around Mark's room. The walls were covered in posters, books stacked in little piles against the wall. His nightstand was covered with cassette tapes and empty soda cans. 

Tom hesitated for a moment before placing the folded notecard into an empty cassette case and putting it at the bottom of Mark's pile. 

He smiled and climbed back over Mark, settling down and gently touching his feet to Mark's. Tom was asleep in minutes. -/-

"C'mon Tom, I got our stuff, let's sit before we have to go." Mark's voice from behind him caused Tom to wake from his memory and follow Mark to a small bistro table near the wall. 

Tom sat down and smiled up at Mark as the older man set about taking the coffees out of the carrying tray and placed Tom's muffin on a napkin in front of him.

Mark saw Tom smiling and immediately mirrored the boy's expression. "Why're you smiling at me?" Mark sat across from Tom and took a sip of his coffee. He closed his eyes in appreciation of actual coffee ground from fresh beans. 

When he opened them, his blue eyes fell onto Tom's hand first, then the familiar piece of paper that was sliding across the table top underneath Tom's black painted fingertips. "You dropped this."

"Oh." Was all the older man could muster up as a blush rolled over his cheeks. 

"You found it. And kept it." Tom said, still smiling at Mark. Mark nodded and the guitarist continued, "I wrote it a week after we met. I was plastered, but I guess I knew even then." 

Mark hid his smile behind his coffee cup before lowering it and speaking, "I found it about two days before your birthday, I was searching for the signed Robert Smith picture I had gotten you and I knocked the stack of cassettes off my nightstand. That fell out when I went to pick them up. I knew it was your stupid handwriting and was floored that you even liked guys. "

Tom picked at his muffin, slowly eating the top of it before consuming the bottom. "Not guys, just you."

Tom sipped his iced coffee. Mark cleared his throat and met Tom's eyes. "I actually wanted to tell you something important. I think now is a good time." 

Mark reassured the taller boy when he saw panic bubble into his eyes. "Relax baby, it's nothing bad." He reached an arm across the table to stroke Tom's hand. 

Pulling it back, he quietly said, "I contacted my landlord. Told him I'm going to be moving out. I have two months, but I was hoping that I could move in with you sooner. Like, as soon as we get home."

Tom's eyes got wide and he moved to stand and hug Mark, but paused remembering they were in public. "You're not joking right? You're going to live with me?" He sat back down in disbelief. 

"No joking, I'm completely serious. When we pick up your car tomorrow, I'm going back to your place." Mark grinned, pleased that Tom was happy.

"Our place." Tom corrected. Mark nodded and repeated Tom's words. 

The two ate quietly, both minds reeling over what future adventures they would have. Mark looked up as Tom slurped loudly, finishing every last drop of his coffee. Mark's eyebrows raised as he watched Tom push the ice in his cup around sucking up the creamy brown liquid. 

"Would you like to take out every ice cube and lick it clean?" Mark proposed, earning a rewarding chuckle from Tom as he suppressed a smile and shook his head. 

When they were done, they stood and tossed their trash away. Tom held the door open for Mark and walked side by side back to the hotel. 

As they waited at a crosswalk, Mark pulled out his cell phone. Tom could see the familiar green screen showing Mark had received a text message. Mark opened it and closed it quickly, glancing over to Tom. Meeting his eyes, Mark swallowed and asked, "Uh, so, um are you ready to go to the signing? I can call Trav and Shon to come on down." 

Tom nodded, feeling uneasy at Mark's awkwardness, but tried to pushed the thoughts of negativity aside. The traffic cleared and the older man began to walk across the street, Tom following closely behind. With that, Mark raised his phone to his ear and waited for the drummer to answer. 

"Yo Trav, yea we're almost in the lobby. We'll meet you guys there. Alright, bye." Sliding his phone back into his pocket, Mark glanced over at Tom and reached an arm out, pulling him into a shoulder hug. 

"Love you." The bassist said quietly. They entered the hotel lobby and walked to a bench, waiting for Shon and Travis. 

Five minutes passed before Tom was startled by Shon jumping out from behind a passing luggage cart. "Damn you, Shon, stop scaring me! I'm just recovering from my childhood with you!"

Shon pulled Tom into a headlock and began to walk towards the exit, dragging the younger boy. Mark fell into step with Travis. 

"Hey um, keep an eye out at the signing. Chris sent me a really strange text. Said he couldn't wait for us to sign his copy of Dude Ranch. I'm afraid he might show up in line, or something. Its going to freak Tom out. You see him, let me know. I want to keep him away from Tom." Mark spoke quietly, keeping an eye on the two brothers ahead of them. 

Travis nodded in agreement and patted Mark on the back as the four men entered the back door of the record store, conveniently half a block from their hotel. 

"We'll keep him safe. He'll be okay." Travis said, already looking around, wanting to spot the blonde before any trouble arose. 

Mark took a deep breath and opened his cell phone, re-reading the text he had received not long ago. The bassist looked back up when he realized it had gotten quiet. 

Mark panicked. "Shon, where's Tom?" 

Mark began to look about, as Shon answered him. "He is in the bathroom. Chill dude."

"Fuck." Mark hustled away from the marine, leaving a bewildered sibling standing next to Travis. 

"I guess I should explain the whole story. You might be of use to us. There's a slight problem, worse than the nightmares." Travis began.

When the tattooed drummer finished, Shon swore and took off in search of Mark and Tom. 

Travis ran his hands over his head and whispered into the air, "Please oh please let nothing happen. Keep Tom safe."


	23. Chapter 23

"Come on, come on, hey! Excuse me, where are the bathrooms?" Mark asked, trying to keep the frantic sound out of his voice. 

He cleared his throat as he waited for the young record store employee to point not ten feet away to a small black sign that was hanging. Mark sent the girl a quick thanks and set off to the bathrooms. 

His blue eyes searched for the shorter man's blonde hair half heartedly, more concerned with finding Tom versus Chris. Mark pushed open the bathroom door and scanned the small tiled room. 

Two sinks were situated on the right wall, big mirrors hanging above them. There were three urinals in front of him and two stalls to his left. Both stall doors were closed. Not seeing anyone in there Mark bent over and checked under the black stall doors. He frowned when he didn't see a pair of dirty Macbeths. 

Mark pushed on the door further away from the main door and watched as it swung open, revealing nothing but a questionably clean toilet. Mark took two steps to his left and pushed on the next stall, only to have it stay put and groan slightly from the pressure of Mark's hand. 

A quiet grunt could be heard through the door. Mark tried to peer through the crack in between the door and the stall wall. Something was huddled on top of the toilet. Mark could clearly see his own tan jacket as the shadow shifted slightly. 

"Tom?" Mark whispered through the crack. The shadow lifted it's head and slid off the toilet. Mark backed up as the bathroom stall opened and Tom appeared, tucking himself into Mark's embrace. 

"Mark..." The younger man croaked, hugging tightly to his shorter friend. Mark looked down at Tom, who had tucked his face into Mark's neck. He didn't seem to be crying or upset at all. This was a good sign that nothing bad had happened, past a little bit of nervousness. 

"You alright? Why were you hiding?" Mark asked, wiping the hair off of Tom's forehead and led him to the sink. The bassist turned on the water and motioned for Tom to wash his face and calm his nerves. 

Tom scooped up the chilled water into his hands and splashed it onto his face. His dark brown eyes stared at his reflection and looked over at Mark through the mirror. He turned with a small frown to look at Mark directly. 

His fingers slid up his sides and into the pockets of Mark's jacket he was wearing. Mark could see the younger man twist the fabric on the inside of the pockets. Mark reached out to rub Tom's arms as the taller man began to speak.

"I think I've gone crazy. I'm imagining things, people." Tom met Mark's eyes and bit at his lip ring. The small sliver of metal slipped into his mouth and Tom let his tongue roll over it. He continued, "I thought I saw Chris." Mark stared at Tom for a moment before Tom added, "Coté." 

Mark tried to keep calm as he asked for more details. "But you didn't?"

Tom shook his head and let his lip ring go, moving his eyes down to his shoes. "Nah, I mean, he wouldn't come here. I ran into the bathroom though and locked myself up and tried to stay calm."

Mark nodded slowly, not being able to meet the other one's eyes. He looked to the door before leaning in and placed a kiss on Tom's forehead. "Let's go find Trav and Shon, okay? We've been in here a while." 

"Wait, I still have to pee. I didn't actually get a chance to go before!" Tom pulled away and stood in front of the urinal. 

He looked over his shoulder to Mark. "Don't watch me! You sicko..." Tom mumbled with a smile, happy to be near his safety blanket again. Mark chuckled and looked nervously at the door, hearing it open. 

Mark saw Shon poke his head inside. The older man gave a thumbs up to the brother when he saw the questioning glance. Shon nodded and closed the door just as Tom finished. The brown eyed boy walked to the sinks and began to wash his hands. He asked Mark about the door opening. 

"Oh, that was just Shon. Checking up on things." Mark explained, watching as Tom dried his hands on a paper towel and threw it into the trash. 

Tom nodded and walked through the door Mark was holding open for him. Upon exiting the bathroom, he was met with an anxious looking drummer and brother. "What?" Tom asked, turning to look at Mark who was behind him and ran a hand over his face, making sure nothing was there. 

The three men mumbled out excuses. Tom looked at each one of them, sensing there were secrets not being shared with him. He stared at Mark the longest, squinting his eyes as if it would help him see the truth better. Luckily, Steve happened to find the men and ushered the band up to the front of the store where a lengthy line was forming. 

Shon stayed close to Tom, who had been seated on the end furthest from the start of the line. The fans roared with excitement as Tom waved at all of them. Travis took a seat on the other end, leaving the seat in the middle for Mark. The bassist had yet to sit down though, he was whispering into Shon's ear. 

"He's alright, said he thought he saw Chris and freaked. Thinks he's imagining things. Just keep an eye out." Mark leaned away from Shon's ear, looking down at Tom. The seated boy was staring up at the two quiet speaking men and looked at the two suspicious acting men. 

"Hi!" Mark said with a grin, glancing quickly up at the crowd. Tom pursed his lips and looked at his brother. "What are you two conspiring? Not another reenactment of this morning, right?" 

Mark laughed along with Shon. "Nah, if I do that ever again I think Mark here, will castrate me." Shon explained, looking at a nodding Mark. 

Tom turned around and fiddled with his Sharpie. He looked up into the crowd, smiling at all the fans waiting in line. He scanned the people's faces, and stopped when he went past a familiar one. His eyes got big as he realized who he was staring at. He swallowed and reached his hand back to grab onto Mark's sleeve. 

The older blue eyed man turned his attention to his boyfriend and leaned down, placing his ear by Tom's mouth. Tom tried to calmly explain what he was seeing. "I...I think I'm imagining things again, Mark. D-do you see Chris there? With the black hoodie, hood up n-next to the girl in neon yellow?"

Tom's grip on Mark's sleeve tightened as Mark followed Tom's line of eyesight and saw Chris staring back at them. He raised a copy of Dude Ranch and waved it at the two men. Tom turned in his chair, ready to run when Shon pushed past the signing table and into the crowd. 

Chris disappeared from Mark's vision, but the the younger boy was already standing and running away from the front of the store. Mark looked at Travis, then Steve before following after Tom. 

Mark caught onto the hood of Tom's jacket and pulled him back into his body, hearing a small yelp leave Tom's mouth in fear. When Tom realized who had grabbed hold of him, he pulled the older man into a tight hug, holding on for dear life.

"Hey, hey baby, it's alright. You're safe, he's not going to get you. I'm here, I've got you. Shhhh..." Mark tried consoling Tom as the younger man clung to him, twisting his shirt around his fists, burying his face in the older man's neck. 

Mark looked around the tall boy and pulled Tom through a nearby door. Tom followed, staying in the older man's arms and whimpered in the darkness. 

"No, no, no..." The boy mumbled, clutching Mark's shoulder as he peered around in the dark. "Too dark, Marky..." He whispered.

Mark continued to hush the guitarist, "It's alright, nothing is or was going to happen to you. We knew Chris might show up here, we were all looking for him, to keep you safe. We weren't going to let anything happen. Shon is taking care of Chris right now. Shhh, calm down."

Mark pulled back and looked at the nervous boy in his arms. He reached behind Tom and felt along the wall for a light switch. Flicking it on he kissed the tearful boy, talking slowly and calmly. 

"Stop. Take a deep breath." He waited for the other one to comply before continuing. "You are not by yourself here. I am here with you." Mark tilted his head and took Tom's chin in his hand as he watched the younger one look around fearfully. 

"Hey. Look at me." When Tom met his eyes, Mark smiled at him. "We are going to do this together. You and me." Mark ran his fingers through Tom's slightly damp hair, hoping to alleviate some of the boy's anxiety. 

Tom tried to straighten himself up and took another deep breath. He bit his lip and turned to look at the door before looking back at Mark. "Mark, everybody... everybody saw me freak and run. What do I sa-" 

Mark placed a finger on his boyfriend's lips, silencing him mid sentence. "Hush. I'm sure Travis took care of it. He's good at thinking up things on the fly. He probably told th-"

Mark paused when his phone buzzed in his pocket. "Hang on a sec." Mark read the text, 'Yo. Told the masses Tom had a stomach bug. Roll w/it when u get back.'

A smiled appeared on Mark's face. He looked up into the still nervous boy's eyes and kissed him on the nose. "Trav took care of it. Told everyone you got sick. So that's what we say when we go back. It's no big deal. You look like you're about to be sick anyways."

Mark chuckled at Tom's sour expression. "Ready to go back?"

Tom swallowed and wiped his hands on his pants. "Don't have much of a choice, do I?"

Mark kissed Tom's forehead. "Remember, babe, I'm here with you. If you don't want to say anything don't. You don't have to explain yourself to anyone."

Tom nodded at Mark's reassuring words. "I don't think I'd survive without you, Mark." 

Tom hugged Mark tightly and placed a kiss on his left cheek before he wiped at his eyes and placed a hand on the doorknob. 

He turned the brass handle and took a deep breath as he pulled it inwards. He jumped slightly at the feeling of Mark throwing an arm casually over the boy's shoulder. 

"Relax dude! I got this." Mark said as the two walked back into the view of the crowd. 

Mark waved to the crowd then pulled away a bit from Tom, still keeping his right hand on the taller one's shoulder. Mark smiled to the crowds and guided Tom back towards his seat. Before Mark sat down in the middle chair, he raised both hands gaining the attention of the crowds. 

"Hey everybody, sorry for the delay! We're going to get started, but I just wanted to warn all the dudes out there to hold it until you leave because Tom just went all Poltergeist on the bathroom there and you don't want to pass out from the smell. Thank you, that is all. Let the games begin!" Mark sat down with a pleased smile and patted Tom on the back before picking up his Sharpie. 

Tom shrugged off Mark's hand in annoyance and tried to ignore the way his cheeks heated up uncontrollably. 

About a quarter of the way through the signing line, a young girl with bright neon green hair smiled at Mark as she pushed her copy of Dude Ranch towards him. Mark smiled back politely and asked for her name. 

"Laurie. I love you guys." The girl said with wide eyes. When she stepped sideways to stand in front of Tom she spoke quickly as she watched the older guitarist scrawl his signature in the black marker. 

"You guys make such a cute couple."

Tom began coughing as he heard the girl's words, choking on his saliva. He turned away from the table, coughing into his elbow, trying to regain his ability to breathe. 

Mark laughed at Tom's reaction to the bold words. He smacked at his boyfriend's back and looked at the girl holding her signed CD with a knowing smile. 

He tried his best to keep his grin camouflaged as he replied with what he hoped was a sarcastic undertone, "Isn't he just the cutest?"

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Tom sat on the edge of the stage, looking out into the arena. He kicked his feet out, letting them bounce off the side of the stage. 

He tilted his head while he tried to gather his thoughts. 

Last night on the tour. 

An empty feeling was puddling in the bottom of his stomach, that he got every time a tour was about to end. He would go through almost withdrawal-like symptoms from being separated from Mark. 

He used to get almost the reversal of homesickness. Mark used to tease him, telling the younger boy he had 'marksickness'. He recalled one instance two years earlier. 

-/- "Tom I just left you like a half hour ago!" Mark chuckled as he drove down his street, about to pull in his driveway. 

As the twenty-two year old blue eyed man put on his blinker to turn, he heard a noise through his cell phone. 

"You okay man? It sounds like you're crying." Mark parked his car in his driveway and sat still, listening to the noises coming from Tom. When the young guitarist didn't verbally answer, but let out a heaving gasp, Mark cradled the small cellular device in between his cheek and shoulder and threw his arm behind the passenger headrest. 

Mark watched over his shoulder as he reversed out of his driveway and headed back towards the main roads. "Tom, where are you? I'm on my way." 

Tom took in a deep breath and tried not to sob as he answered Mark. "I'm sitting in my mom's d-driveway." He paused before apologizing to the bassist. "Mark, I'm so fucking sorry, I know that we just saw each other, but I feel so panicky. No one's home and I just... I miss having someone always around. Fuck, I'm such a little pussy."

Mark took a left turn and adjusted his cell on his shoulder before reassuring his best friend. "Tom, don't be so harsh on yourself. You have to cut yourself some slack. Being on tour was awesome because there was always someone around and now you've just realized that what your norm was, changed. You're need to relax and not get yourself so worked up. It's cool, we'll chill for a bit then you'll be good to go."

The blue eyed singer could hear Tom's nodding from the rustling noise it made against the teen's cheek. "Will you stay on the phone until you get here?" Tom's juvenile words pierced Mark's heart, making him feel a stinging warmth from the boy's distress, but at the same time a feeling of pride that his friend had chosen him to reach out to. 

"Sure, dude. I'm almost at your street. Untwist your fingers." Mark chided knowingly, not even needing to see the boy's actions. 

"How did you...?" Tom questioned, trailing off as he looked around half expecting, half hoping Mark was close enough to see him. When he didn't see the older man's car or hidden self anywhere, the boy pouted, letting out a small "humph." 

Mark chuckled into the phone as he turned onto Tom's street. "Because I know you very well, Tommy. You get nervous and your fingers start to twirl. Holy shit!" Mark paused, turning into Tom's driveway. 

Mark could see Tom stand up, noticing his friend's car in the driveway. He anxiously waited for the older boy to get out of his small silver car. Mark closed his cellphone and walked towards Tom who was now fidgeting, trying to not play with the bottom of his wrinkled Hurley tshirt. 

Mark didn't hesitate pulling the younger boy into a hug and pressing a friendly kiss into the boy's sweat dampened hair. 

"You really weren't kidding when you said you were sitting in your mom's driveway. I thought you were exaggerating." Mark patted Tom on the back and threw an arm over his shoulder. 

"Come on now, relax. I'm here. You can let go of your 'marksickness'. We'll go inside and chill for a little. When's your mom gonna be home? I want some of her awesome lasagna. Think she'd make it for us tonight?"

Tom sniffled, wiping at his eyes as he responded to the older man. "So long as you actually mean the food lasagna and not some perverted way of saying you want to sleep with her."

Mark laughed, and Tom let a small smile spread on his face. "Dude, I can't have that while you're around, it would be just too weird. Maybe while you're sleeping I'll get some of that, but for now I want the food kind."

Tom forgot his uneasiness as he joked around with Mark. As the two walked through Tom's front door, the older one ruffled the younger one's hair, earning himself a shove. 

"Mark! Stop it! I'm gonna tell Mom not to make any food at all for you, to let you just starve." Tom walked towards the couch in his living room. He plopped himself down on it and looked over his shoulder as Mark followed sitting to his right. The blue eyed boy put his feet up on the coffee table and reached for the remote for the tv. 

"You know what, it doesn't even matter. Momma DeLonge fucking loves me. Soon as she sees I'm here she'll be eager to feed me." Mark leaned back into the plush blue couch. He stretched his arm along the back of the couch, just brushing the back of Tom's head. 

The younger boy looked over at Mark, watching his relaxed expression as the older one flipped through channels, settling on Nickelodeon. The boy tried to focus on what was on the tv, but couldn't help glancing over out of the corner of his deep brown eyes to watch Mark. 

Tom was not expecting Mark to speak, so when he did, Tom jumped considerably, making the bassist laugh mid sentence. When he finished laughing, he began again. "Tom, quit inspecting me like I'm some alien specimen and get over here."

Tom blushed, but gratefully leaned up against Mark's side. "Do you feel better now?" Mark asked, bending his arm to thread his fingertips in Tom's hair. 

Tom nodded, not removing his eyes from the tv. Mark smiled, "Good I'm glad your 'Marksickness' went away." 

Tom rolled his eyes but stayed close, snuggled up against his friend while the two waited for Tom's mom to get home. -/-

Tom wouldn't get 'Marksickness' this time around though. The guitarist dropped his head, trying to hide the ridiculous smile that overtook his face. They would be going to their home, no separation at all. 

When he felt like he had regained control of his giddiness, Tom turned to watch Mark. 

Mark was further back on the stage, talking to a guitar tech. Mark had managed to jump and hit the neck of his guitar on a speaker, cracking it slightly. "No, Brian, I need to play it tonight, its the last show! It would be bad luck!" 

The older boy looked over at the younger one and tried to get him to take his side. "Tom! Tell Brian it would totally be bad luck to use a different bass for more than half the set!"

Tom repeated Mark's words with a smile of adoration. Mark nodded at Brian with great conviction and placed his fingertips together, making a praying motion. "Please fix it Brian, oh great master of the bass arts!" 

Brian rolled his eyes behind thick black glasses and took the bass from Mark's hands, mumbling about drama queens not getting paid enough. Mark smiled happily and made his way over to Tom. 

Kneeling by his boyfriend, Mark gave a cheesy grin and said, "How you doing?" 

Tom sent Mark a shy smile before looking back out into the unfilled arena. "I'm alright. It's weird, you know? Every other tour we finished, I'd get this nervous feeling-"

Mark cut the brown eyed boy off with a joking tone in his voice, "'Marksickness' you mean?"

Tom chuckled and nodded before continuing, "And this time, I don't really have a reason to be nervous. I hope the bad dreams go away..." 

Tom looked over his shoulder and slightly up into Mark's blue eyes. He saw a look of pity and dropped his eyes back to the hoodie of Mark's he was wearing, holes torn around the cuffs for Mark's thumbs. 

Mark reached out and gently squeezed Tom's shoulders. "Hey, you're going to be fine! It's been a while since you had a nightmare, don't worry. Besides, we get to spend every night together. Won't that be nice?"

Tom scoffed pessimistically, "Yea, 'til you get sick of me and take off."

"Tom!" 

The said boy jumped at the way Mark said his name so harshly. He looked at the bassist with guilty eyes and stayed silent.

"There's no fucking way in this whole universe that I'd take off without you. You don't get how much I need you, do you?" Mark furrowed his eyebrows, upset that Tom thought so little of their relationship, as if Mark was only with him out of convenience of being on tour together. 

He moved to stand and held his hand out to take Tom's and help him up. Once the two men were on their feet, Mark didn't release the younger one's hand and yanked on it, muttering to Travis that they would be in the dressing rooms taking a nap. 

Tom was pulled along like a scolded young child being sent to his room after throwing a tantrum at the candy store. Mark sniffed and said quietly to him as they weaves through the crowds, "I'm going to tell you exactly how much I need you and every time I have in the past."

When the two boys got to the dressing rooms, Mark let go of Tom. The taller boy stood in the middle of the room, unsure of what to do. Mark closed the door and sat on the small couch to the right of the door. 

"Come sit. This is fucking serious."

Tom gulped at the older man's words, but listened to him. Once he was sitting, Mark took Tom's hands in his own and sighed deeply. "I want you tell you about some instances where I was the one that needed you, and that you helped me. I don't want you thinking that I'm just going to bail on you at the drop of a hat. So just shut up and let me talk, okay?"

Tom bit his lip. He wasn't sure if Mark wanted a verbal response after asking him to not talk, so he simply nodded, reaching out slowly to clasp their hands together. 

Mark bit his lip, something Tom rarely saw him do. The older man looked thoughtfully at the two hands entwined with his own. "The first time I ever needed you was when my dad came home from that business trip to Texas and he heard that I dropped out of college. It was like maybe a month after we had met, I had just gotten that stupid boot off and it was a school night for you."

Tom nodded at the memory, knowing exactly which night Mark was talking about. Tom's mom had not been pleased with the older boy showing up late on a Wednesday night, but let it slide when she got a good glimpse of Mark's face. 

-/- Mark uncomfortably shifted on Tom's front porch, nervous at possibly getting in trouble with Tom's mom and dad. He thought maybe he recalled something about Tom's dad being away, but his thoughts were all jumbled after the emotional night he had been through. 

He wiped at his face, grimacing at the pain that flared up. He looked down at his fingertips and saw a glistening substance on them. "Fuck." He whispered to himself, wiping his hand on his tshirt. He reached out and knocked quietly on the front door, wishing he had called first. 

He also wished he had thought of that before he ran from his house. 

Mark looked down at his worn Converse, dragging the tip of his shoe over the bristled front welcome mat, pulling his navy Tampa Bay baseball hat down further over his face. He knocked once more before he would resort to climbing the DeLonge fence and spending the night in the abandoned tree house that sat nestled in the large oak tree out back. 

A few moments passed before the hallway light came on, sending a yellow glow through the three small rectangular glass panes on the front door. Mark swallowed and braced himself for the worst case scenario- Tom's dad at the door telling him to leave. 

The door opened a moment after the front porch light came on and Mark nervously looked down. He raised his head slightly when he heard a soft, "Can I help you?"

Mark cleared his throat and tried not to sound upset. "Hi Mrs. DeLonge."

Connie sighed, "Mark, it's a school night. You know that Tom can't have visitors past nine on school nights."

Mark swallowed, completely unsure as to how he was planning on getting to his best friend without telling his mom why he was there. 

"I-I know, Mrs. DeLonge." Mark stammered.

Connie leaned on the front door and apologizingly said, "I'm sorry Mark, I'll tell him you stopped by, he can call or stop by your house after school tomorrow. He can't be getting into trouble at a new school now."

Tom's mom had begun to close the door when Mark lifted his face the slightest bit. 

"I'm really sorry I just-t..." Mark's voice cracked, and he quickly reached up to wipe away the stinging salt that had pooled in one of his eyes. 

Mark flinched when Connie reached out and placed her hand underneath the boy's chin. Mark couldn't meet her eyes as she lifted his chin, shining the hallway light on his bruised cheek and swelling left eye. 

She gasped as the light fell on Mark's shaded face, "Oh my..."

Connie let go of Mark's chin and stepped back from the doorway, moving to the side. "He's already in bed dear, but probably still awake. You can spend the night if you want. I have to work in the morning, after I drop Kari off at school, but I'll call his school and tell them he's sick."

Mark whispered a thank you and walked quietly down the hall to the small set of steps that lead to the second floor of the modest split level ranch home. 

When Mark got to the second door on the right, Tom's room, he knocked lightly. The blue eyed boy grimaced, forgetting about his bruised face, as he smiled at Tom's response through the door. 

"What, Mom?! I already brushed my teeth and peed before bed! I didn't forget anything! I'm allowed to read a little longer, it's not even ten p.m. yet!" The younger boy whined. 

Mark twisted the brass door handle and opened the door, ducking his head as he spotted Tom sitting up in his bed, covers coming to the bottom of his bare chest. His reading lamp was shining brightly behind him from where it sat perched on top of his headboard, clamped tightly.

Tom pushed the "How to Spot a UFO" book off the edge of his bed when he saw it was not his mom who had knocked at his bedroom door.

"Mark? What're you doing here? My mom let you in?" Tom threw back his covers as he stepped out of bed, Mark couldn't help but notice he was only wearing thin Bug Bunny pajama pants. 

Mark stayed silent as the younger one ran up to him, excitement evident in his voice and face. The blue eyed man waited until the pj clad boy said anything about his face. 

"Holy shit, Mark, what the hell happened to you? Are you okay?" Tom gasped once he actually got a good look at the older one. 

Mark wiped at his face, and wiped his hand on his shirt when he felt the wetness of his blood. Mark didn't trust his voice, he simply shrugged his shoulders at his friend. Tom frowned and turned to look around his room. When he spotted what he was looking for, he went over and grabbed the spare Green Day shirt that was neatly folded on his desk chair by his mother from the previous day. 

"Can I help?" Tom asked innocently. Numbly, Mark nodded. Tom pinched his lips together and grabbed for Mark's wrist. He pulled him into the bathroom across the hall and turned on the water faucet. Taking the clean hand towel off the hanging towel rack, Tom ran a corner of the terry cloth under the stream. 

The boy nervously wrung out the towel and turned to face Mark. He bit his bare lip and held out the cloth to Mark. Tom noticed Mark had kind of spaced out and was not responding. He took a deep breath, hoping he wouldn't hurt his friend more and pressed the cold towel against Mark's cheek. 

Tom took a step closer and pulled off the older boy's baseball hat. He let out a small gasp when he got a full look at the damage on his face. Mark seemed to come out of his trance as Tom continued to work on cleaning the caked drying blood off. 

"Thanks, Tom." Mark whispered. The brown eyed boy brushed off the thanks and turned to rinse the towel, leaving it piled next to the sink. 

When he turned back to Mark, he suggested getting ice for his swelling and reddened eye. Mark nodded, looking at his reflection in the mirror. Tom passed Mark the clean band shirt he had brought for him and excused himself, slipping past the bigger boy. 

When Tom returned to the bathroom, he didn't see Mark. A moment of panic surged through the boy, causing him to turn and burst into his own bedroom, the door bouncing off the wall.

The brown eyed boy visibly relaxed when he saw where Mark had gone. Mark had made himself at home under Tom's covers. Mark jumped under the still warm blankets when the door hit the wall, and was relieved to see that it was just Tom who had come through the door. 

Tom hit his forehead with his palm as he saw the flash of fear on Mark's face, not even thinking about how scared Mark might be now. Tom sat down on the edge of his bed and held out the plastic baggie filled with ice cubes. Mark took it from his hand and laid back with it, scooting over to the opposite edge. 

Tom looked at the now small spot next to Mark. They had never been that close to one another in a bed before. Tom wasn't uncomfortable with it and figured that Mark just needed comfort right now. 

The lanky boy slid under the covers and laid down. He reached for the tv remote next to him on his bedside table. "Want to watch Star Wars?" Tom looked at Mark for a response and smiled a tiny bit when he saw the older boy nod and lean in to rest his head on the younger one's shoulder. -/-

"I didn't even have to say much and you gave me what I needed." Mark explained, reaching out to touch Tom's chin. He could tell that Tom was not convinced. The older man launched into another instance when he had needed Tom.

-/- Mark's 21st birthday had been one for the record books. He had planned it with his friend, Zack. Mark was going to be meeting up with an older girl he had been interested in, and taking her out to a local bar. Zack had introduced the two at the mall about a week prior.

Tom tried to seem uninterested in what would be happening that night, partly due to him being too young to take Mark out, and partly because this older girl Mark was interested in was well, not him. 

"Hey, Tom, should I wear the light blue button down shirt or the dark blue one?" Mark asked, holding up both shirts for Tom to see. Mark had his eyebrows raised as he waited for his friend's response. 

Tom answered the older one's question with a question of his own, "Why do you have to wear a blue shirt?"

Mark lowered both shirts and rolled his eyes at the boy laying on his bed. "Because dude, chicks totally dig when you match your eye color. They think it's all sexy or some shit and I want Rebecca to like me."

Tom pouted and rolled over onto his stomach, placing his chin in the palms of his hands. "I don't think you should wear either, it's stupid. Why can't you wear your NOFX shirt? It's black, you look nice in black."

Mark growled, "I can't wear a fucking band shirt on my first date with her! Are you nuts? I'll look like a total loser."

Mark went back to his closet as Tom looked down at his Decedents tshirt he was wearing. His shoulders sunk a little and he stood up to leave. "Let me kno how it goes. I'm going home."

Tom closed Mark's bedroom door before the older man even realized what had happened. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Tom was laying on the old tattered couch that was against the wall of his moms garage, strumming his guitar. It had been a decently warm night for March and Tom enjoyed the slight breeze that the open garage door brought. 

He sighed deeply, checking the time on his watch before bringing his hand back down to strum a few chords. It was 9:40. Mark had been gone for a whole two hours. 

He was meeting up with Rebecca at the bar at 8:00. And had stopped over Tom's house to get his friend's approval before heading out. Mark hadn't even noticed that Tom had changed from his band shirt into one of his few collared polo shirts, the ones his mom forced him into when they had to go to nice places. 

Tom felt completely lost being on his own. He had tried occupying himself, he really did. Making the world's tallest tower of Oreos only took so long. He did have fun though crushing them all in a bowl and pouring milk over them, eating them like a sweet cereal. 

He had become so lost in his thoughts that when Tom heard a scuffling noise coming up his short driveway, he panicked. He tumbled off the couch onto the hard cement, squealing like a kid as he tried to protect himself from the unknown sound. 

The boy had taken refuge behind the side of the couch and an amp that had been half-hazardly placed there after a band practice. When he heard the familiar chuckle, Tom popped his head up to peek over the arm of the sofa. 

Tom watched as Mark stepped into the garage, very much so tipsy, if not completely smashed. Mark had been able to see the entire scared as a bunny act, safely bathed in the darkness of the night while Tom was on full display in the well lit garage. 

"Mark? What're you doing here? Your date is over already?" Tom asked, blushing a bit at his overreaction and brushed off his dusty knees. 

Tom's eyes widened as the boisterous laughter left Mark's dry lips. "Yea, it's over. Fucking thing was over before it even started."

Mark came further into the garage, running his hands over the various car cleaning supplies and music gear Tom had on a shelf.

"What do you mean, 'before it even started'?" Tom asked, standing straight up, trying to straighten his brown polo, feeling suddenly silly for his attempt at matching his eyes to his shirt.

Mark didn't answer. He continued walking around the garage, touching things again as he moved, slightly unsteady on his feet. He laughed when he got back to the couch, flopping down on it. 

Tom stared down at him, sniffing slightly at the air that was being emitted from Mark's mouth. Knowing what he drank at the bar, Tom asked, "How many Jack and Cokes did you drink?"

Mark ran his hands over his face and answered, "Oh... I don't know, two, three, nine? I wasn't counting."

Tom frowned, and straightforwardly asked, "What happened tonight?"

"She never fucking showed. That's what fucking happened. I got stood up..." Mark whispered the next part, "on my birthday."

"Aw dude, that sucks. Don't let it ruin your birthday though! The night is young! We can chill and have a rad time. You want to go skateboard?" Tom tried to cheer up the older boy.

Mark shook his head. Tom frowned, biting his lip ring and pulling it into his mouth. "You want to watch Star Wars?" He tried again. Star Wars was his go to "make Mark happy" trick.

The drunk boy shook his head again. "I want to do something I'm gonna remember forever!"

Tom laughed, "Get a tattoo?" knowing he would never.

Mark lifted his head to look at Tom. He watched the younger one pulling on his lip ring with his tongue. "I want to get a piercing." 

"How drunk are you? You bitched like a little girl when you got your ear pierced." Tom tilted his head and watched Mark's hands. They were running up and down his chest. 

"Let's go. We're getting my nipple pierced." Mark proclaimed, lifting his body up and stumbling onto his feet. 

Tom's mouth dropped open and a small "What!?" squeaked out. 

"Come on. You drive. I'm too drunk. I walked here. I'm going to stay over too. We get my car in the morning from the bar." Mark ordered as he brushed his hand over Tom's shoulder as he passed him.

"Nice shirt, too." Mark commented as he left the garage. Tom scrambled to grab his car keys and wallet with a smile. 

Thirty-two minutes later he was sitting next to Mark, the older one crushing every bone in his friend's hand as the blue haired girl with her nose, eyebrow and lip pierced, got her hands close to Mark's right nipple.-/-

"You're always there for me, whether I am sad, lonely or an asshole." Mark explained, running a hand over the younger one's head. Tom shrugged. He loved Mark, even back then. Why wouldn't he hang out with Mark when he had the chance?

"What about when I cried because I thought you didn't need me?" Mark asked, blushing insecurely at the memory of just a few weeks prior.

Tom pulled his lip ring into his mouth, moving to sit on Mark's lap. "I didn't like it when I made you cry." He spoke quietly into the warm skin on Mark's neck.

"Hey, I didn't like it much either. Do you get how much I need you though? The thought of being away from you for any length of time is just..." Mark stopped talking, causing Tom to pull back and look Mark in the face.

The bassist was looking towards the ceiling, his lips pulled together tightly. Tom kissed his flushed cheek when a small sad tear slipped out. 

"I love you so much." Mark tried again to speak. 

Tom nodded, he knew now. When they would enter their home tomorrow, things would be okay.


	24. Chapter 24

"Hey, Kiddo, you alright there?" Mark asked, throwing an arm around Tom's shoulder, dropping his bag onto the blacktop. 

Tom stuck out his tongue to the term of endearment Mark used, before giving the blue eyed man leaning on him a lopsided smile. "Yea, it's just weird, you know? We get to go back to my place now, I mean..." Tom lowered his head, a slight blush rolling over his cheeks. "Our place, I guess... Right?"

Mark chuckled, leaning in and pressed a quick sloppy kiss against Tom's cheek. He laughed even harder when Tom reacted with a loud squeal, wiping dramatically at his right cheek.

"Ah, you fucker!" He screamed, pushing at Mark to move away from him. 

Travis stepped off the bus, throwing his bag over his shoulder. He laughed and walked up to the two boys pushing at each other. "You guys going want to go grab some grub before we head our separate ways or just head on out?"

Tom looked over at Mark, waiting for him to respond for the both of them. Mark caught Tom's glance and messed with Tom's hair as he answered the other man. "Food sounds good, dude. But after this, it's the last time I want to see you both for a while."

Tom pouted and poked Mark in the side as the three of them walked to where their cars were parked. 

Tom hesitated, hanging by Mark's side. The older man noticed and spoke quietly to the younger boy. "Relax. I'm going to drive you, we'll grab your car later. You're stuck with me for quite a while." 

Mark turned and dug in his nap sack for his long lost keys. Locating them, he jingled them in the air. "Oh, I missed you car keys! It's been so long!"

The bassist stretched his back before unlocking his car. Tom skipped to the passenger's side and opened the door. Mark shouted over the hood of Travis' car, twirling his keyring around his pointer finger, "Where to? How bout the diner down the street?"

Tom hopped in, not being able to hear Travis's response from where he sat. Mark sat down in the driver's seat and fumbled through his keyring searching for the right key. 

Tom tapped his feet alternating between left and right. As Mark turned on his car and backed up from his parking spot, he looked over at Tom. He chuckled when he saw where the other boy's fingertips had ended up. 

"Babe, why are your fingers all twisted up in your shirt?" Mark looked over again at the design on the front of Tom's shirt and corrected himself. "Actually in my shirt, what are you doing in my clothes again? I thought we sorted all that stuff out."

Tom pulled his fingers away from the black fabric and gave Mark a silly smile. "I hid it from you, it's my favorite shirt of yours."

Mark put his blinker on and pulled into the diner's parking lot. Tom unbuckled his seat belt and stepped out of the car, walking quickly around the back to meet Mark as he untangled himself from his seatbelt. 

"What the fuck, ugh, Tom, I blame you." Mark grumbled as he pulled away from the twisted nylon belt. Travis had since met up with them and was laughing at Mark's misfortune. 

Tom giggled and reached out to pat Mark on his shoulder as the three men walked into the small hometown style restaurant, happy that Mark's question had been avoided. "It's okay. You're special, we still love you despite your deficiencies."

Mark glared at Tom in a good natured manner and flung off his boyfriend's arm. "You are lucky you're cute." 

Tom sent Mark a smile, completely knowing he was bugging the older man and placed a quick kiss on his cheek and he held the door open for Travis to walk through after Mark.

He followed and made his way around Travis so he could lean against Mark's arm as they waited for a booth to open up. Travis was making small talk with Mark, with his head bent close to the other man's ear in the loud diner. 

Two small families entered the diner and made their way into the entryway, pushing Tom closer to Mark. Mark looked over his shoulder and smiled lovingly at Tom's surprised reaction to getting pushed by a tall ten year old. 

Mark stretched his fingers out, keeping his eyes on Travis, continuing his conversation but searched for Tom's own calloused fingertips. Feeling someone take his hand, Tom quickly looked down and let a crooked smirk fall upon his lips as he felt Mark intertwine their fingers in the small crowd.

Tom was busy figuring out how to lean his body against Mark's without it looking too suspicious to the public when he felt his hand being jostled. Mark was trying to unwrap their hands as he followed Travis to a corner booth that was being washed. The bassist waited for Tom to take a seat before sliding into the booth next to him.

They ordered sodas and grabbed for their menus as they waited for the waitress to return. Tom yawned and rubbed his right eye with a curled fist. Another yawn escaped him and he lifted a hand and placed his elbow on the table, resting his chin on it as he looked at the different kinds of sandwiches and burgers.

"Tom? You ready to order?" Mark asked, bringing the boy's focus to land upon the young waiter, poised to jot down his order.

Tom wiped at his right eye once more and cleared his throat, bringing both hands up to hold the menu upright. "Um, you guys order first." 

Travis rolled his eyes while Mark chuckled. Travis explained, "We already did, dude, it's your turn!"

Tom's eyes got slightly bigger as he realized how zoned out he really must have been. "Oh, uh, I'll take the... um... grilled cheese, I guess."

The boy slid his pen across the pad of paper he was holding before smiling at all three men and making his way back to the kitchen. 

"Dude, you look like shit." Travis blurted, earning himself a strong glare from Mark. Tom frowned at the older drummer, fumbling with his fingers as he whispered, "Tired," as a way of explanation for his slow mind. 

"Leave him alone, Trav! The kid's just tired." Mark scolded, leaning back in the booth to raise his arm up along the top of the padded seat. Mark reached out his fingertips to rub gently along Tom's right shoulder.

Tom sent Mark a small smile, completely content with nearly everything in his life. 

Mark sipped on his diet Coke and continued his conversation with Travis from earlier. Tom leaned his head on Mark, letting his long lashes flutter before staying closed, sighing happily. 

Mark hadn't realized his boyfriend had fallen asleep so easily on his shoulder, and shifted to grab the ketchup bottle that was against the diner's wall. Tom jolted at the sudden movement, startling both himself and Mark. 

"Sorry, Tom. Damn, you should have told me how tired you were, we could have skipped food." Mark spoke softly to the boy, reaching up to sweep his brown bangs off his forehead before stopping, remembering they were in public.

Tom shook his head, trying to rouse himself and took a sip of his ginger ale. "I didn't feel this sleepy before, just now." 

Mark smiled over at the boy and pinched the younger one's nose, before sipping more of his own soda. Tom once again slouched down in the booth and leaned against Mark. 

When their food arrived, Mark wiggled his arm to wake Tom, letting him know that his sandwich was getting cold. "Babe." He whispered, "Hey. Love, your grilled cheese is waiting to be gobbled up." 

The youngest band member opened his eyes, blinking a few times before he realized his whereabouts. He wiped at his mouth before seeing his sandwich cut diagonally, one half laid upon the other piece, with a small cup of creamy tomato soup along with a pickle spear. 

Tom picked up the sour green veggie and bit off half of it, munching on it while he looked at Mark's plate. The bassist had ordered a bacon cheeseburger sitting next to a large pile of golden crinkle cut french fries. 

Putting down the pickle, he reached over and snatched up a fry while Mark was busy fiddling with the ketchup bottle. Tom slowly began to reach out for another one of the salty tasting snacks, when Mark smacked his fingers, laughing as he heard the small yip that left Tom's lips. 

"Mine, eat your own food, fry-stealer!" Mark teased, drowning his fries in ketchup. 

Tom pouted,, but followed the older singer's instructions. Raising a grilled cheese triangle, he dipped the corner into his soup and began to eat, dribbling the red soup on his chin. He wiped at his face and kept dipping and eating, making his way through the triangles until he finished both halves and sipped most of his soda. 

Satisfied, he looked over at Mark's plate, noticing he had only touched about a quarter of the fries. Mark excused himself from the table and went to the bathroom. Tom licked his lips and began to chow down on the crinkled rectangles that were on Mark's plate. 

When Mark returned, he noticed immediately that his fries were considerably less in the amount they were before leaving the table. Mark continued eating them, not saying anything to Tom, yet. The check was brought to the table and Travis threw down a ten dollar bill before excusing himself to use the bathroom. 

"You are going to pay for eating all my fries later." Mark said while counting out his cash for both his and Tom's lunch, not even looking at the boy sitting next to him.

Tom tried to avoid the smile that was creeping up onto his lips, his eyebrows raised while he controlled the muscles around his mouth. He pulled his lip ring into his mouth, sucking on it and let it pop back out as he denied Mark's accusation. 

"What fries? Oh your fries? No, I didn't eat any of them. No, I guarded them while Trav tried to steal them. I saved them, if anything."

Mark finished stacking the bills neatly and placed them, with the check, under the remains of his diet Coke. He turned and wiped at Tom's upper lip, showing a smudge of ketchup Tom had gotten on his face before licking it off the pad of his finger, eyes focused on Tom's own wide brown ones. 

"Make sure you get rid of the evidence the next time you try to 'guard' them. It's ok though, I'll figure out a way for you to make it up to me that probably involves you without your clothes on, and maybe some handcuffs and a toy or two..."

Tom began breathing heavier and swallowed thickly, trying to control himself after letting his thoughts run wild with Mark's words. Travis returned and asked if they were ready to get going. 

"Absolutely!" Mark answered, a sly smile on his lips. His eyes danced over to watch Tom. "You alright there, Tommy? You seem a little..." The bassist paused, waiting for the brown eyed boy to look up and glare before he finished his sentence. "...flushed."

Tom grumbled out an, "I'm just fine", before sliding across the booth and shoving his hands into his pockets, staying close to Mark in order to hide the bulge that had appeared. 

Mark smirked as he held out his arm for Tom to go ahead of him. 

Tom snorted and ran his shoulder into the older boy's, "Fuck you, I ain't no fucking lady!" 

Mark shrugged and continued walking, looking down at his toes, trying to hide the smile that graced his lips. 

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Tom's hand shook as he tried to get the proper key into the slot on his freshly painted white door. He sucked in his lip ring as he dropped the keys for the second time and cursed. 

Mark met his hand on the wooden floor as they both reached for the silver and gold keys. Nervous brown ones flew up to smiling blue ones. "Babe," Mark began, "let me, please. I'd like to get inside sometime tonight."

Tom chuckled and gave a sideways smile to the older man. "Sorry, I'm just so excited to get you inside."

Mark stood up and thumbed through the keys, looking for the one that had a little dab of pink nail polish on it, something Mark had done when the boy head first moved in to help him tell his keys apart. 

He briefly glanced down at the still present bulge and took a deep breath, getting excited himself at what he would be doing in a matter of minutes. Teasing Tom first though, he spoke with raised eyebrows and tried to control his smile. "Thought you were ever so tired. What happened?"

Mark slid the key in the lock and twisted clockwise. He gasped when he felt Tom's hand grab his ass through his pants and stood on his tiptoes, turning quickly to look with surprise at the younger boy. 

"This happened. Now open the fucking door up before we give the neighbors a show!" Tom demanded. 

Mark swallowed and opened the door, biting his own lip in excitement as Tom pushed through the doorway, tossing their small bags into a corner of the dining area. 

Tom gave Mark a heated look and carefully approached the older boy. He leaned in to latch their lips and melted into the blue eyed man's moan. Mark led them down the hallway, past the living room and kitchen, and into the bedroom. 

Blindly leading him to the bed, Mark smiled into the kiss as Tom's tongue begged for entrance. Mark allowed it, wrapping his arms around the skinny boy and fell back against the bed, pulling Tom on top of him.

Mark let his eyes fall shut as he felt Tom's lips dance all over his skin. The dark eyed boy started at the tip of the bassist's left ear, leaving little soft kisses around the shell and quickly sliding his tongue over the lobe, earning himself a gasp from Mark.

Tom took his licking and biting his way down Mark's neck. He paused when he heard Mark begging him. "Please, baby, please..."

Tom kissed his boyfriend on his very eager lips. When he ended the kiss, he took both of Mark's wrists and raised them above both their heads and pinned them snugly against his bedspread. "What, baby? What do you want?" He nipped at the older one's chin, rubbing his lip ring over the cleft, laying his body flat over Mark's. 

Mark opened his eyes and lifted his head to catch Tom's lips. Tom moaned against the other one's skin before breaking off and raising his head to where Mark couldn't reach. "Tell me, tell me what you want baby boy, what do you want me to do to you?"

Mark arched his back, pressing against Tom's own erection. "Touch me, lick me, suck me, anything! My cock needs some attention though, before I pass out." 

Tom smiled at Mark's words. He sat up, hands still keeping the bassist's restrained. He rocked his hips a moment, enjoying the friction of Mark's tented jean shorts against his ass. Mark let out a little moan, he bit at his arm trying to suppress the sounds he was eliciting. 

The blue eyed boy let out a louder than intended whimper when Tom raised himself off the older boy, letting go of the other ones wrists as he lay on the floor, reaching under the bed. 

Mark let out a frustrated groan as he tried to be patient, waiting for whatever Tom was searching for. Another minute passed before Mark leaned over the edge of the bed, struggling to not press the heel of his palm against his cock. 

He wiggled impatiently on the bed as he watched Tom sift through a black box, fabric and video tapes being pushed to the side. The older boy bit his lip when he saw the reflective metal be placed carefully on the floor. 

He tried to say the other boy's name, but his voice cracked on the first consonant. He tried again, "Tom? Where'd you get that from?"

Tom tried to hide the excited smile that formed on his lips, his lip ring stretching against the skin. "Oh, just something I picked up in my travels." 

"Travels? What the fuck kind of travels have you been on that I haven't?" Mark said, leaning back on the bed as Tom stood and climbed onto the bed. 

Tom didn't answer, he kneeled over Mark's lap, one knee pressed into the comforter while the other one was bent on the other side of Mark's waist. He twirled the metal handcuffs in the air, enjoying how his boyfriend's eyes followed the circular motion. 

"Babe?" Mark gulped, trying to concentrate on how wide and eager Tom's eyes were. 

Tom leaned in, letting the metal brush up against Mark's clothed shoulder as he pressed a kiss into the older boy's neck. "My secret." He whispered. 

The brown eyed boy let go of the metal cuffs and balanced on his knees, swift fingers finding the hem of Mark's tshirt. Mark raised his upper half, panting as he helped Tom get the dark fabric over his head. The bassist's hands flew to the bottom of Tom's shirt, pulling at it and fumbling, causing Tom to laugh at his eagerness. 

Tom watched as Mark's hands danced over his bare skin, the other boy's breaths getting heavier and heavier. He watched as Mark closed his eyes, already missing the glow of the blue irises. The younger one smiled as he moved his lips from Mark's lips down his chin and to his neck.

Mark is gasping, throwing his head back, fingers digging deep into the thin muscle on Tom's back. The brown eyed singer kept his lips busy on his boyfriend's neck as his own fingers crawled over the worn comforter. When his fingertips hit the cool metal, he smiled against the slick skin, making his way up the side of Mark's throat and to his ear. 

He nibbled on the lobe for a moment, earning himself a deep, throaty moan from Mark, before he breathed out the older one's name. Mark gasped a, "What?" and arched his back, pushing his hips into Tom's.

Tom faltered, letting a small whine leave his lips. Sinking his teeth into the spot just below Mark's right ear, sucking slightly, making sure to leave a mark on the pale skin, Tom makes his move, sliding the curved metal through the 'C' shaped cuff and clicking tightly in place before Mark knew what was happening.

Blue eyes opened instantly and found himself staring up into playful brown ones. Mark swallowed and shifted underneath Tom. He tried to turn his head to look at his now cuffed wrist but was stopped by Tom's voice and body leaning closer, pushing the older boy's wrist further above his head on the bed.

"Uh-uh. Come on, I just want to play around a little bit. Don't be nervous." Tom smiled mischievously down at Mark as the older boy's eyes flittered around, trying to resist the urge to buck Tom off of him. 

He began to protest when Tom cut him off. "Bullshit, you're practically pissing your fucking pants. Relax though, it's me. I won't do anything you're not comfortable with, so if you want me to take them off you, I will. Just say the word."

Tom waited for Mark as the older boy thought things over. Moments flew through the blue eyed singer's mind, instances where Tom had been vulnerable. Mark thought about when Tom had first come to him all those weeks ago after his nightmares began, reaching out to him even after he had been an ass to him, bailing on him when the younger one had needed him and then to how Tom how reacted the last time he had wanted to change things up and bring Mark outside of his comfort zone. 

Tom had ended up sitting in a cold bath tub, shivering, too upset to move. He thought about the love he had seen in Tom's eyes as he explained all the instances when he had needed Tom. 

This was Tom. His Tom. 

He had nothing to fear.

He smiled up at Tom and whispered, "Go for it. Show me what you got Hot Pants."

The crinkles around Tom's eyes grew as a smile broke out over his face. 

He trailed his fingers down Mark's wrist to his elbow before his smile dropped off and he became serious again, double checking. "You're sure? I promise I won't sit in a bathtub for hours on end this time."

Mark blinked up at Tom, before nodding. "Positive. You could even, um, you know..."

Mark trailed off. Twisting his body slightly to nod down to where Tom was sitting on top of him. Delight flashed on Tom's face, barely uttering, "Really?"

Mark licked his lips and smiled up at the young boy, nodding.

Tom giggled excitedly and reached above Mark's head, pulling the already cuffed hand only slightly further up towards the head of the bed and gently grasped his other wrist, enclosing the other cuff around it. 

Mark shifted a bit, testing out the handcuffs and twisted his head when he heard a scuffing noise as his hands moved. When he saw that his hands were handcuffed, not only together but through the headboard of Tom's bed, he quickly looked back at the smirk on Tom's face before looking again, making sure he wasn't imagining things.

"Now where do I start..." Tom trailed off, shifting off of Mark and sitting next to the obviously horny man. Mark gulped and watched with wide eyes as Tom's hands skirted over Mark's bare chest and down to the lip of his boxers. 

Mark bit back a moan as he felt Tom tracing his fingers over the zipper of his shorts. His breathing hitched when he felt the buckle of his belt being pulled, then pushed off of his hips. He looked up at his boyfriend, watching the intent expression on the younger boy's face before letting his head fall back and close his eyes, knowing if he watched anymore, the show would be over far too soon.

The fabric of his shorts twisted and the metal teeth of his zipper clacked as it opened, cool air finding its way inside his shorts. He felt Tom tugging on the shorts, trying to get them off, so Mark lifted his hips, aiding the other boy.

His shoes were quickly discarded as well as his socks, but not before Tom ran his fingers over the sole of his feet, causing Mark to twist and giggle at being tickled. His laughter died immediately when Tom pulled off of him and placed his hands firmly on his dick, the heat mixed from the guitarist's hands and his own erection.

Tom rubbed the heel of his hand against the older boy's hardness and smiled as he watched as Mark reacted to his touch, arching and pulling at the handcuffs. 

"You look so fucking hot." He whispered, biting at his lip ring and pulling at the rubber waist of Mark's boxers. The striped fabric slipped down the older boy's waist, and soon falling past his knees as Mark lifted his hips to help Tom. 

Mark spread his legs as Tom climbed over them, settling into the upside down 'V'. Tom drank up the sight of Mark panting, slowly rocking his hips. Tom laid down in between the bassist's legs and pressed his lips into the crease between Mark's right thigh and the base of his cock. 

He smiled against the skin, feeling Mark react to his touch. He licked a strip of skin nearing his balls before moving to the spot right below. He pressed there with his lips, kissing it before sliding his tongue up and over his balls, continuing onto the base of Mark's cock and up to the tip. 

Tom was encouraged by the waves of moans leaving Mark's lips. He took the old man's cock into his mouth and began to bob up and down, wetting the shaft and grasping tightly as the saliva helped lubricate his motions.

A few minutes passed and Mark was beginning to wonder about the handcuffs. It was frustrating for him to not be able to push and pull at Tom's hair. Getting a blow job, even an awesome one at that had all been done before between the two. 

It wasn't until Tom paused, pulling his mouth off of the head of Mark's cock that it dawned on Mark what Tom was planning on doing.

Mark watched as Tom deliberately sucked on his own middle finger, wetting it substantially. The brown eyed boy met Mark's eyes as he lowered his finger to Mark's tight hole. He only touched it, not pushing in, but rubbed gently at it, the entire time keeping Mark's gaze.

Mark tried relaxing, knowing he would enjoy the sensation of Tom's fingers inside him, after all, Tom loved it, it couldn't be too uncomfortable. Mark rested his head against Tom's pillow, concentrating on the feeling of Tom's middle digit pressing and rubbing. 

When Tom stopped, Mark froze, before letting out the loudest moan and raising his hips off the bed in a near perfect arc. 

Tom had removed his finger to replace it with his tongue.

Tom teased Mark a few more long minutes, lapping and tracing the rippled ring of muscle. Tom disappeared again, digging through his box of goodies and pulled out a clear bottle with a purple cap. 

Mark tried to ignore the way his heartbeat sped up, and the way he wanted to scream, 'STOP!!' at Tom. 

Tom paused after flicking open the bottle of lube. "Mark? You're sure?" 

Mark swallowed and nodded before clearing his throat. "Just... just go slow. I'm not going to lie, I'm scared."

Tom licked his lips and leaned up and over Mark's chest. He left a kiss on Mark's shaking lips, trying to calm the older boy. "It hurts for a little, but then it feels so, so amazing. I'll go slow, you can be in control of how far and fast I go, okay?"

Mark gave the younger singer a small smile, exhaling slowly and whispered, "Okay. Do it. Shove it up there."

Tom giggled and rolled his warm brown eyes. "Jeez, Marky, you're sooooo romantic!"

His giggling died down as he lowered himself back down in between Mark's now propped up legs. He circled the small pucker once more before pouring some of the clear slippery liquid onto his fingertips. He brought them slowly up to the darker skin and paused. 

"I'm not going to go in yet, just going to spread it around." He explained, his brown eyes finding Mark's own nervous blue eyes.

Mark nodded and looked up to the ceiling. Tom's lip ring slipped into his mouth as he played with it, spreading the lube around his fingers some more before reaching out. 

Mark gasped when he felt Tom press against his hole, and breathed deeply as he felt the other one rubbing against it in small circles. "Tell me when you want me to slide in."

Mark heard Tom's words and wrapped his hands around the metal chains, bracing himself for an intruding feeling. He whispered, "Go." 

Tom kissed the inside of Mark's bent knee and pressed his pointer finger into Mark's ass. He went slowly, letting Mark's body adjust to the slim digit. Tom slid his finger in up to the second knuckle. He kissed the inside of Mark's thigh as he waited for Mark's bottom to adjust.

He glanced down at Mark's half hard cock and reached his other hand out, balancing on the elbow of the hand that was in his boyfriend. Gripping the older man's cock he set a decent pace, not moving his finger the slightest bit. 

The guitarist watched with loving eyes as Mark relaxed and began to enjoy himself. Tom debated asking for permission to push his finger further in or just surprise the older one. 

Tom took a deep breath when Mark began to move his lower body to match the boy's hand motions. Tom's finger slipped further in, and Tom had to close his eyes when a moan came out of Mark's mouth.

As the gasps got louder, Tom bent his finger slightly, wiggling it a bit to find Mark's sweet spot. 

"Holy fucking God!" Mark nearly screamed, both sets of eyes flying open at the bassist's words. Another moment passed. 

Mark panted, "Stop, stop, please stop!"

Tom's face fell as the older man's words washed into his ears. Trying to put on a brave face, Tom pulled his hands off of Mark's body. He looked into Mark's eyes, nervousness shrouding his previous excitement.

Mark yanked at the handcuffs. "Off, take these off, I want to touch you. Feel you, I want you to fuck me."

Tom was stunned, stilled in his motions, not believing what he heard leave Mark's mouth. When Tom didn't touch the handcuffs, Mark pleaded, "Baby, please!"

The boy slowly shook himself out of his stupor and sat up, reaching for the handcuff keys. He unlocked the metal cuffs, Mark's hands wasted no time in arching out and pulling Tom into his chest, groping at him and smothering the boy with heated kisses. 

Tom tried to prepare himself, coating his rock hardened cock with lube. "Are you-" his words cut off by Mark's lips, "-absolutely-" another kiss, "-sure?" He finally got out.

"Fuck, yes, just do it. I need you to do this, I love you so fucking much. Fuck me, make love to me-" Mark paused his babbling, blushing deeply at his sappy words.

He repeated himself, looking up to Tom leaning over him. Tom pressed a kiss into the other boy's warm cheek and pressed slowly into the older boy. Mark gasped, Tom was a lot bigger than a single finger and perhaps he was too quick to make the jump. Inch by inch he made his way into his tight heat, pausing often. 

Mark crushed his eyelids together, convinced he was going to rip or pass out from the pain. 

That is, until Tom thrust into Mark at a new angle and fireworks exploded in Mark's mind. Ecstasy flowed through the older man, positive he was experiencing something never felt before with any self induced orgasm.

Mark began to feel the familiar feeling increase deep within him as Tom began moaning and thrusting into Mark's prostate. Mark was sent over, unable to last very long and spilled his seed over his sweat slicked stomach, splashing up onto Tom's tightening abs and the younger boy unraveled feeling it as he watched Mark cum. 

Tom collapsed on top of Mark, pulling out slowly and snuggling into Mark's arms. 

"I love you." The boy whispered into Mark's chest. Mark nodded and placed a kiss on the top of Tom's damp head.

The two fell asleep, completely saturated in love and euphoric yawns.

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Mark awoke first, taking a moment to look around and figure out exactly where he was. His blue eyes scanned over the average looking cream colored walls, and the typical beige carpets. 

He recognized the small snoring sound that was leaving the lips of the sleeping boy who was curled up against his side, his dry lips pressing the small lip ring into Mark's bicep. The bassist smiled at the innocent expression on the younger man's face and placed a kiss on his forehead before scooting back and rising from the warm bed.

The 6'2 man stretched his arms high above his head and scratched the back of his neck. Taking a step towards Tom's dresser, he squatted in front of the dark wooden rectangle and pulled on the lowest drawer. 

Mark smiled at all the cartoon printed pajama pants laying neatly folded before him. Grabbing the Simpsons' donuts patterned pants, he stood, pushing the drawer closed with his foot and slipped them on. 

The quiet man made his way to the doorway, pulling the wooden door partially shut in the hopes that Tom would catch up on some much needed sleep while Mark picked up the landline and dialed the local pizza joint for delivery. 

Mark smiled at Tom's chicken scratched handwriting he had taped to the wall so he wouldn't lose the number. Three minutes later, Mark hung up the phone and curled up on Tom's well worn couch and reached for the remote.

Turning on the television proved to be more difficult than he remembered it being the last time Mark was at Tom's apartment. Lowering the volume, the bassist sang a song quietly that was stuck in his head as he looked for something good to watch and pass the time with.

Mark stopped flipping through channels when he came across a marathon of old Full House reruns. The girl on the phone told him his pizza would be delivered in about 45 minutes so that meant he could at least watch the rest of this episode and get most of the way through the next one before he would be interrupted.

He finished the first episode and was about ten minutes into the next one when movement caught his eye and made him jump. Tom was standing in the hallway, still naked from their previous activities, hands clenched at his sides as he tried desperately to hold back the tears that were making their way down his flushed cheeks.

Scurrying to his feet, Mark collected the boy in his arms and helped him to the couch. Tom climbed onto the shorter man's lap and wedged his nose into Mark's neck before letting out a small gasp, digging his toes under either side of Mark's thighs.

Mark waited patiently for Tom to tell him what was wrong, rubbing the boy's back in calming circles. The sobs got louder and the tears fell faster. A few moments later, they subsided and Tom pulled back, a sad frown on his face as he tried to cover his lower body.

Mark sighed as he reached for the blanket that was folded behind his head, draping the soft blue fabric around Tom's shoulders. The sniffling boy pulled the edges of the knit fabric closer and hiccuped.

Damp brown eyes looked pitifully into concerned blue ones. Mark reached up to wipe away a pregnant tear droplet dangling on the lower lashes of Tom's left eye. 

"It happened. I had a nightmare. It... it was awful, Mark-ky." The young boy's scratchy voice hitched, and he started to cry again, falling against Mark's bare chest. A curled fist reached up to wipe at his own face, the blanket securely wrapped around his hand soaking up the saltwater.

Mark's heart broke for the boy. It had been weeks since he had last had a nightmare bothersome enough to shake the boy into tears. 

"Shhhh, baby, it's okay. I'm here, I've got you." Mark cooed against Tom's pierced ear. Mark continued rubbing Tom's back through the blanket as the boy babbled on about what happened to upset him so.

"You l-l-left me and d-didn't want me anymore and I beg-ged you to keep me and you told me I was broken and you didn't want all the drama and h-h-h-hassle," Tom paused, taking a moment to readjust himself on Mark's lap, clenching his knees around the bassist's waist before continuing.

"...of dealing with me and nobody wanted me! Nobody wants me, I'm broken and stupid and worthless and fuck- I...I... can't do this without you!" The sobbing boy finished, fighting Mark's hands as the older boy tried to pick Tom up and make him look into his own blue eyes.

"Baby, baby, look at me. You need to take a deep breath. It was just a bad dream, there is no truth in what you dreamt about. I love you. Way too much to be able to just walk away without crying and holding onto you, screaming your name. Was I doing that in your dream?" Mark raised both of his hands to cup Tom's cheeks as he continued to calm down his boyfriend. 

Tom shook his head and let Mark continue. "You know that little thump thump going on in that overanxious body of yours?" The bassist tapped Tom's chest near where his heart lay beating away. Tom cocked his head to the side, sniffling and blinking at Mark with big eyes.

"That belongs to me. I'm going to do my best to show it how much I love it, and prove that you're not broken at all. You keep things interesting, are sometimes a handful and make me get gray hairs prematurely, but you certainly are not worthless or stupid or any of that other shit you were saying. I love you the way you are, so if you have the occasional nightmare, whatever. Just know that when you wake up, I'll be right here to hold you and chase those nightmares away. Promise." He ended his speech with a kiss to Tom's slightly red nose and a hug.

Tom nodded and leaned back onto Mark's chest. They sat there, just simply hugging for a few minutes when there was a heavy rapid knocking at the front door, startling Tom, which in turn made Mark jump in surprise.

Tom looked to the door, which was just to the left of them, before looking down at himself, then finally to Mark. He pulled his lip into his mouth before raising both eyebrows nervously.

Mark grinned at the unsure boy, "I ordered pizza..." he said in an enticing voice. "Hop up, I have to get my wallet." 

Tom stood up and wrapped his blanket around his still nude frame and waited for Mark in the living room. 

Impatient rapping came from the door again. Tom looked at the door before leaning down the hallway to watch as Mark scrambled around the bedroom.

Another round of knocks ensued, along with a muffled voice shouting, "You got two minutes before I leave, yo!"

"Tom! Tom, where the fuck are my pants?! I need my pants!" Mark shouted. 

Tom giggled and bounced down the hall to help Mark find his pants. "Check the lamp, I think I threw them on the lamp." 

"Oh, thank god. I'm starving. Grocery shopping is in the forecast for tomorrow, alrighty?" Mark said while running past Tom with a twenty crinkled in the palm if his hand. 

Tom hid behind the door as Mark swung it open, a giant smile on his face despite having looked like he just ran a half marathon in just his pajama bottoms. He handed the annoyed delivery boy the money and took the pizza and his change, minus a nice tip, back in through the doorway.

After swinging the front door shut with his right foot, Mark placed the pizza on the coffee table and opened it up for Tom to view the pizza topped with ham and pineapple. 

Tom licked his lips and reached out for a slice, dropping his blanket in the process. Mark shook his head, smiling and picked up his own slice. When he reclined on the couch, Tom sat down and wiggled his bare toes under Mark.

"I'm going to be okay, I think. So long as you stick by my side." Tom bit into his pizza, not noticing that he dropped a piece of pineapple onto his belly. He continued eating and licking his fingers as he got sauce on them.

Mark swallowed his food and pointed out the piece of fruit on Tom. Tom shrugged and leaned back on the couch to finish his pizza. The older boy followed Tom, leaning down to pick of the piece of warm pineapple with his mouth. He licked at the spot that the food had been and then kissed it.

"See? This is why I love you. I shall keep you." Tom said, stuffing the last bite of his crust into his mouth. 

Mark playfully bit at Tom. "You just want me for my Piggy."

Tom raised himself quickly onto his elbows, leaning his weight on his lower arms. "What do you mean, 'your Piggy'? We have joint custody of him! You said so yourself!" 

Mark slithered out of Tom's grasp and stood up, running to the bags in the dining room where the small stuffed toy lay, grabbing the one with Piggy inside and dashed down the hall. "Not a chance, baby!"

Tom scrambled to his feet, bounding down the hallway after the shorter man, still naked, a giant smile plastered on his face.


End file.
